University  of  California  •  Berkeley 

THE  PETER  AND  ROSELL  HARVEY 

MEMORIAL  FUND 


... 


MONUMENT    TO    THE    PILGRIM    FATHERS. 


ROUND    THE   GLOBE 


anD 


BY 


SULLIVAN    HOLMAN    M'COLLESTER, 

AUTHOR    OF 
AFTER-THOUGHTS     IN     FOREIGN     LANDS    AND    CAPITAL    CITIES." 


ILLUSTRATED. 


BOSTON: 

UNIVERSALIST   PUBLISHING    HOUSE. 
1890. 


Copyright,  1889, 
BY  THE  UNIVERSALIST  PUBLISHING  HOUSE. 


SECOND  EDITION. 


JOHN  WILSON  AND  SON,  CAMBRIDGE. 


PREFACE. 


TTAVING  made  four  visits  to  the  Old  World  previ- 
ous  to  1887-1888,  I  set  out  on  my  tour  "  Round 
the  Globe "  somewhat  apprehensive  of  the  pleasures 
and  inconveniences  of  travel.  My  aim  was  to  improve 
every  opportunity  for  gaining  knowledge  of  lands  and 
seas,  of  vegetable  and  animal  life,  of  men  and  society, 
of  schools  and  religions.  I  went  where  I  pleased,  meet- 
ing with  kindly  natures  everywhere, —  leading  me  to 
join  the  Syrian  in  affirming  that  a  friend  is  fairer  than 
the  roses  of  Damascus  and  more  precious  than  the 
pearls  of  Oman. 

The  present  volume  is  the  record  of  sight-seeing  and 
after-reflection  of  more  than  nine  months'  experience 
in  detours  round  the  world.  I  am  not  so  vain  as  to 
imagine  that  the  book  is  free  from  peculiarities  and 
imperfections.  Still,  my  hope  is  that  it  may  go  forth, 
so  fortunate  as  to  encourage  eyes  to  see,  ears  to  hear, 
and  memory  to  retain  those  things  which  tend  to  en- 
large mental  capacity  and  adorn  human  character. 


iv  PREFACE. 

May  it  at  least  serve  the  reader  as  an  imperfect  mir- 
ror, to  reflect  somewhat  of  the  real  and  ideal  disclosed 
in  my  circuit  of  the  globe,  inspiring  love  for  the  good 
in  all  lands,  and  especially  deepening  sympathy  with 
our  own  country  and  affection  for  whatever  is  worthy 
and  truly  American ! 

AUTHOR. 

MAPLESIDE,  MARLBOROUGH,  N.  H., 
Dec.  15,  1889. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.     BOSTON  TO  SAN  FRANCISCO i 

II.     ACROSS  THE  PACIFIC 63 

III.  JAPAN       76 

IV.  CHINA       156 

V.     SINGAPORE  AND  CEYLON 182 

VI.     INDIA 197 

VII.     THE  PERSIAN  GULF,   AND  THE   EUPHRATES   AND 

TIGRIS  TO  THE  NILE 243 

VIII.     PALESTINE 281 

IX.     EPHESUS 297 

X.     ATHENS 305 

XI.     ITALY  AND  MALTA 312 

XII.     SPAIN 319 

XIII.  LONDON 329 

XIV.  FROM  LONDON  THROUGH  IRELAND 334 

XV.     NEARING  HOME 341 


INDEX 


349 


TABLE   OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 
MONUMENT  TO  THE  PILGRIM  FATHERS,  PLYMOUTH    Frontispiece 

BRONZE   STATUE  OF   DAI   BUTSU,  OR   BUDDHA,  KAMA- 

KURA To  face  76 

A  GREAT  CEDAR,  TORII,  AND  PAGODA 132 

THE  FLOWERY  PAGODA,  CANTON 156 

THE  JUMNA  MUSJID,  DELHI  (the  finest  mosque  in  the 

world) 198 

THE  TAJ  MAHAL,  AGRA  (the  handsomest  and  most  costly 

tomb  in  the  world) 220 

STONE  INSCRIBED  WITH  THE  NAME  OF  SARGON  I., 

KING    OF    SIPPIRA    (afterwards   Babylon,   3800  B.  c., 

the  oldest  known  inscription  in  the  world)  ....  252 

CARAVAN  CROSSING  THE  ARABIAN  DESERT  ....  268 
THE  HEAD  OF  RAMESES  II.  (from  his  Skeleton  in  the 

Boulak  Museum,  Cairo) 272 

GETHSEMANE  AND  MOUNT  OF  OLIVES,  AND  ROADS  TO 

BETHANY 282 

TEMPLE  OF  THESEUS  AND  ACROPOLIS,  ATHENS  .  .  304 

VESUVIUS  AND  RUINS  OF  POMPEII 312 

MANSION  HOUSE  AND  QUEEN  VICTORIA  STREET,  LONDON  328 

THE  LAKES  OF  KILLARNEY 340 


ROUND   THE    GLOBE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

BOSTON  TO   SAN   FRANCISCO. 

THIS  is  the  fifth  time  the  author  has  started  from 
Boston  for  Europe  and  the  East.  Hitherto  the 
exit  has  been  due  East,  but  this  time  it  is  due  West 
and  round  the  world.  This  city  to  one  New-England- 
born  and  somewhat  accustomed  to  thread  its  winding 
streets  and  somewhat  familiar  with  its  quaint  history, 
must  seem  to  be  a  good  pivotal  point  to  fasten  to, 
while  swinging  round  the  globe.  In  this  age  of  historic 
myths,  if  its  prestige  is  being  somewhat  dimmed  by  the 
intimation  that  an  artistic  people  occupied  this  country 
previous  to  the  redmen  whom  Columbus  found  here; 
or  that  even  far  back,  Asiatic  moguls  possessed  it,  con- 
structing curious  implements  out  of  greenstone  and 
feldspar,  working  mines,  weaving  hemp,  moulding  pot- 
tery, and  building  mounds ;  or  that  Toltecs  became  civ- 
ilized here,  and  were  driven  out  by  the  warlike  Aztecs, 
from  Central  America ;  or  that  the  Chinese  long  before 
the  Christian  era  settled  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and  the 
Phoenicians  came  to  this  continent  five  hundred  years 


2  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

before  Christ,  —  nevertheless,  Boston  has  a  marvellous 
history.  How  could  it  be  otherwise,  being  so  near 
Plymouth  Rock,  and  situated  upon  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  bays !  Her  strategic  acts  in  throwing  those 
English  tea-boxes  into  the  sea  and  gaining  such  sig- 
nal victories  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  have  rendered 
her  conspicuous. 

However,  it  is  not  the  outward,  so  much  as  the  in- 
ward, that  tells.  In  the  strife  at  Marathon  between  the 
Greeks  and  the  Persians,  it  was  not  spears,  but  brains, 
that  won.  So  it  is  with  this  city:  it  is  character  which 
is  most  significant.  This  expresses  itself  in  the  very 
looks  and  movements  of  the  people.  Contrast  the 
Pilgrim  stock  with  that  of  any  other  nationality,  and 
it  will  not  lose  by  the  comparison.  Really,  it  is  of 
consequence  whether  a  city  or  country  is  settled  by 
Turks  or  Saxons.  Here  some  of  the  best  blood  has 
expressed  itself  in  men  who  have  taken  advantage  of 
the  fortunes  and  misfortunes  of  all  predecessors. 

Accordingly,  unique  transactions  have  taken  place 
here,  creating  a  peculiar  city  of  more  than  three  hun- 
dred thousand  inhabitants,  who  are  devoted  to  more 
thinking,  according  to  numerical  numbers,  than  any 
other  part  of  the  globe.  Her  public  schools  and  col- 
leges testify  to  this  fact.  Her  text-books,  periodicals, 
and  scientific,  literary,  and  theological  works  emphasize 
it.  It  is  not  a  small  item  that  Boston  has  been  the 
home  of  Cotton  Mather,  Father  Taylor,  Franklin,  the 
Adamses,  Channing,  Everett,  Choate,  Longfellow,  Phil- 
lips, Emerson,  Winthrop,  Holmes,  Lowell,  and  hosts  of 
other  literati.  Her  pulpits,  courts,  publishing-houses, 


BOSTON  TO   SAN  FRANCISCO.  3 

commercial  establishments,  benevolent  institutions,  all 
speak  in  behalf  of  a  cultured  people.  She  has  become 
especially  famous  for  her  mental  and  moral  develop- 
ments. She  well  deserves  to  be  called  the  Western 
Athens.  Let  her  work  on  in  receiving  and  imparting 
new  light,  and  she  is  bound  to  live  and  grow  in  char- 
acter, giving  to  the  Old  World  better  things  than  she 
has  received. 

At  early  morning  on  the  1st  of  September  the  face  is 
turned  westward  from  Boston,  and  the  question  forces 
itself  upon  the  mind,  If  we  keep  on  in  this  direction, 
shall  we  at  length  return  to  this  city  from  the  east,  fac- 
ing it?  If  so,  this  will  prove  the  earth's  rotundity. 
Whirling  out  of  the  city,  what  masses  of  brick  and 
stone  are  piled  into  structures  two,  three,  four,  and  five 
stories  high !  Soon  on  the  left  are  seen  the  towers  of 
Harvard  University,  and  on  the  right  far  aloft  stands 
Tufts  College :  these  are  as  beacons  shedding  light  far 
and  wide.  In  half  an  hour  Waltham  is  reached,  whose 
watches  are  marking  the  time  in  all  lands. 

As  the  brakes  hold  the  train  at  Concord,  this  old 
town  repeats  the  thrilling  story,  —  how  the  Redcoats 
were  chased  through  the  meadows  as  Yankee  bullets 
flew,  and  Miles  Standish  tolled  the  bell.  Here  dwelt 
Emerson,  the  great  essayist;  Alcott,  the  father  of  the 
Concord  School  of  Philosophy ;  and  Thoreau,  by  Wai- 
den  Pond,  where  he  painted  so  accurately  in  word-pic- 
tures the  habits  of  insects,  birds,  and  so  many  other 
creatures. 

At  Fitchburg  a  thriving  city  is  seen  in  the  valley 
and  on  the  hill.  This  is  a  city  of  enterprise,  taking  the 


4  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

granite  out  of  the  quarry,  moulding  iron  into  wondrous 
shapes,  turning  wood  into  curious  patterns,  and  weav- 
ing wool  and  cotton  into  beautiful  webs. 

Moving  onward,  Winchendon  is  the  next  important 
place,  and  is  a  typical  New  England  town.  But  above 
spire  and  tower  looms  highest  the  name  of  Murdoch, 
who  nurtured  it  and  left  a  fortune  to  foster  it. 

Now  ahead,  and  to  the  north,  rises  aloft  the  Monad- 
nock  Mountain,  —  a  huge  mass  of  granite  and  trachyte, 
standing  like  a  sentinel,  swaying  his  sceptre  over  all 
around.  As  the  train  enters  the  Granite  State  the  trav- 
eller soon  discovers  the  appropriateness  of  its  being 
called  the  Switzerland  of  America.  The  scenery  is 
romantic  and  picturesque.  The  train  is  now  rushing 
through  the  hills  and  over  the  valleys.  Less  than  a 
hundred  miles  from  Boston,  the  valley  of  the  Ashuelot 
River  is  reached.  Many  of  the  names  applied  to  hill 
and  water  clearly  indicate  that  the  Indians  once  in- 
habited these  regions.  The  lowlands  and  elevations 
plainly  show  that  once  a  lake  filled  this  valley.  Ages 
were  evidently  required  in  depositing  and  shaping 
these  meadows,  slopes,  and  hills.  Right  in  the  centre 
of  them  is  nestled  the  little  city  of  Keene.  It  is  a 
gem  of  a  town  in  fairest  settings.  Here  the  air  is  like 
crystal,  fresh  and  balmy.  How  true  it  is,  God  makes 
the  country,  and  man  the  city!  A  few  miles  onward 
and  the  road  is  ribbed  in  with  solid  rock.  How  sud- 
den is  the  change  from  far-reaching  space  to  closest 
limits !  Quickly  we  are  out  of  the  confinement,  and 
what  a  prospect !  A  section  of  the  Connecticut  River 
Valley  strikes  the  eye,  and  in  the  way-beyond,  lo,  the 


BOSTON  TO   SAN  FRANCISCO.  5 

Green  Mountains !  No  more  inviting  picture  can  be 
enjoyed  in  going  up  or  down  the  Rhine  or  the  Danube 
River !  As  the  river  is  approached,  the  water  is  clear 
and  the  banks  are  bordered  with  fertile  meadows.  No 
richer  soil  can  be  found  in  the  far  West.  The  corn- 
fields are  ripening  for  harvest.  Everything  looks  clean, 
as  though  just  prepared  and  hung  out  for  exhibition. 
The  terrace  formation  on  either  side  of  the  river  is 
conspicuous  and  striking.  In  some  places  as  many  as 
six  different  geological  eras  are  distinctly  marked.  As 
the  train  rushes  over  the  Bellows  Falls  into  the  village 
of  the  same  name,  the  scenery  around  and  above  is 
sublime.  The  castle  rocks  on  the  east  and  the  cathe- 
dral projections  on  the  west  are  not  to  be  surpassed 
for  beauty  and  grandeur  by  the  natural  scenery  along 
any  river  in  Europe.  Here  is  a  thriving  village,  be- 
cause of  a  superior  water-power,  which  is  applied  to 
converting  almost  countless  logs  of  spruce  and  poplar 
into  paper.  What  will  genius  not  do  by  and  by? 

We  are  now  on  the  Connecticut  River  Railroad.  How 
still  the  wheels  run  !  Its  roadmaster  has  proved  himself 
an  adept  in  laying  iron  tracks.  At  Charlestown  what 
gigantic  elms  overtop  the  quaint  old  houses !  Here  is 
one  of  the  finest  private  botanical  gardens  in  New  Eng- 
land. Though  an  individual  enterprise,  still  it  is  for 
the  public  benefit.  All  who  will  can  visit  and  enjoy 
its  taste  and  beauty.  Must  not  the  reward  of  such  an 
almoner  be  great?  Here,  too,  is  the  home  of  a  hum- 
ble man  who  has  devoted  himself  to  more  than  eight 
hours  of  daily  toil ;  still  he  has  found  time  to  acquaint 
himself  with  geology,  mineralogy,  and  science,  so  as  to 


6  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

read  understandingly  the  earth  and  the  rocks,  and  has 
collected  one  of  the  best  cabinets  of  common  and  rare 
specimens  in  the  State.  His  example  shows  what  may 
be  done  by  the  toiling  classes,  if  they  will  only  econo- 
mize their  spare  hours.  So  it  is:  men  who  have  moved 
the  world  have  been  devoted  to  labor  and  thought. 
The  lives  of  Socrates,  Cicero,  Frederick  the  Great, 
Webster,  and  Elihu  Burritt  illustrate  this  truth. 

The  scenery  up  the  river  is  enchanting  and  diversi- 
fied. The  artist  who  looks  upon  these  pictures  must 
long  to  put  them  upon  the  canvas. 

Crossing  again  into  Vermont  at  the  fossilizive  town  of 
Windsor,  one  is  quite  certain  to  seek  a  view  of  its  most 
noted  institution,  the  State-prison.  Well,  so  long  as 
there  are  rogues,  it  will  be  necessary  for  some  town  in 
every  State  to  harbor  such  an  institution ;  but  is  it  not  a 
misfortune  to  that  town?  The  environments  of  a  com- 
munity have  much  to  do  towards  fashioning  character. 
The  dram-shop  and  penitentiary  are  closely  allied,  and 
always  impart  a  destructive  influence  to  the  young. 
Only  banish  the  former,  and  there  would  be  little  de- 
mand for  the  latter.  A  few  miles  from  the  town  is  the 
delightful  summer  home  of  William  M.  Evarts,  one  of 
our  most  distinguished  legal  advocates,  and  an  honored 
Member  of  Congress.  A  good  great  man  is  a  prize  to 
the  nation,  and  should  be  prized. 

Some  twenty  miles  onward  the  passengers  begin 
to  whisper,  "We  are  approaching  the  White  River, 
where  the  fatal  bridge  dropped  so  many  in  an  unex- 
pected moment  into  the  cold  arms  of  Death."  Oh, 
that  rushing,  crashing,  crying,  and  suffering  warn  us 


BOSTON  TO   SAN   FRANCISCO.  7 

against  requiring  so  great  speed  of  railroad  authorities ! 
Americans  are  too  much  given  to  haste.  No  wonder 
the  Frenchman  should  feel  forced  to  remark,  "  How 
the  Americans  rush  into  cars  and  out  of  churches !  " 
Haste  has  made  waste  and  terrible  destruction  in  our 
country  the  past  few  years. 

As  the  train  bends  into  the  Green  Mountain  State, 
winding  among  the  hills,  the  traveller  is  reminded  of 
Alpine  scenery.  Fresh  and  grassy  are  the  vales  and 
hills;  wooded  are  the  slopes,  and  lofty  are  the  peaks 
of  the  mountains.  Fat  cows  and  oxen,  sleek  horses 
and  flocks  of  sheep,  are  scattered  through  the  pastures. 
Farmhouses  and  villages  on  every  hand  look  inviting. 
The  people  at  the  stations  impress  the  traveller  with  the 
feeling,  as  he  inspects  them,  that  they  must  have  kin- 
ship to  Ethan  Allen,  and  would  be  ready  again,  in  case 
of  British  invasion,  to  demand  the  Fort  "  in  the  name 
of  the  Great  Jehovah  and  the  Continental  Congress," 
and  of  course  would  hold  the  Fort.  The  Vermonters 
are  of  sturdy  stock,  and  seem  bound  to  improve  their 
acres  and  enrich  their  State.  Their  churches  and  school- 
houses  indicate  that  they  believe  in  Christianity  and 
education.  The  faces  of  the  lads  and  lasses  are  redolent 
with  health  and  promise.  The  Green  Mountain  Boys 
hold  their  own,  and  improve  upon  their  sires. 

As  the  sun  dips  to  the  west  and  glints  the  waters  of 
Lake  Champlain,  the  landscape  views  defy  pen  and 
pencil  to  picture  them.  No  more  charming  body  of 
water  can  be  found  in  sunny  Italy  or  in  Erin's  green 
isle.  Away  across  the  lake  is  Plattsburg,  with  its  battle- 
field, whence  was  shot  that  log-chain  which  cut  down 


8  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

the  mast  of  the  British  brig  as  it  rounded  the  point, 
expecting  to  salute  Uncle  Sam  with  a  destructive  blast. 
But  speedily  the  lofty  were  fallen,  and  victory  perched 
on  the  standard  of  the  honest  and  fearless  braves.  So 
it  is :  the  right  in  the  end  is  sure  to  triumph. 

As  St.  Albans,  so  famous  for  its  immense  traffic  in 
butter  and  cheese,  is  left  behind,  the  train  is  whirling 
through  the  State  of  Rip  Van  Winkle.  From  the  nu- 
merous stumps  it  is  plain  that  this  has  been  a  timber 
region,  but  oats  and  timothy  grass  are  abundant  now. 
To  the  south  some  thirty  miles  are  the  Adirondacks,  so 
attractive  to  the  sportsmen  skilled  in  throwing  the  fly 
and  chasing  the  deer.  Really,  these  vast  forests,  so 
dotted  with  lake  and  pinnacle,  ought  to  be  preserved 
for  a  national  park. 

To  the  north,  the  land  gradually  pitches  far  away 
to  the  majestic  St.  Lawrence  River.  A  more  superb 
stream  of  water  is  nowhere  else  to  be  seen.  It  is  freer 
from  sediment  than  any  other  great  river  of  the  world. 
On  from  the  Great  Lakes  to  the  sea  it  drains  a  beautiful 
valley. 

The  largest  town  in  northernmost  New  York  is 
Malone.  This  is  a  rural  city,  and  rendered  most  con- 
spicuous as  having  been  the  home  of  ex-Vice-President 
Wheeler.  He  is  said  to  have  been  an  honest  politician. 
What  a  monument  such  a  life  is  to  a  city  or  town ! 
Would  that  such  monuments  might  be  greatly  increased 
in  our  land !  If  this  State  was  settled  by  the  Dutch,  it 
is  certain  that  the  northern  portion  is  now  occupied  by 
the  sons  of  Erin.  Celtic  hands  here  for  the  most  part 
hold  the  plough,  mould  the  butter,  and  press  the  cheese. 


BOSTON  TO   SAN  FRANCISCO.  9 

Saw-mills  are  common,  where  logs  are  being  con- 
verted into  boards  and  timber.  Granite  is  now  seldom 
seen,  but  sandstone  and  lime-rock  abound.  At  differ- 
ent points  iron-mines  are  being  worked.  This  part  of 
the  country  is  generally  level.  Potsdam  is  another  im- 
portant town.  Its  buildings  speak  of  enterprise  and 
prosperity. 

Our  route  now  bends  to  the  south.  It  is  not  long 
before  we  are  brought  to  Canton,  the  university  town 
of  northern  New  York.  The  schools  here  are  doing 
a  grand  work  in  behalf  of  education.  Real  culture  is 
sure  to  perpetuate  and  bring  renown  to  a  town.  Is 
not  this  true  of  Oxford  in  England,  Cordova  in  Spain, 
and  Padua  in  Italy? 

At  Watertown  Nature  has  dammed  the  Black  River 
so  as  to  furnish  great  power  for  grinding  flour  and  whirl- 
ing saws.  This  is  an  active  city,  and  full  of  uproar 
just  now  from  the  fact  that  the  county  fair  is  going  on. 
Everybody  is  excited  about  the  man  who  has  just  as- 
cended in  a  balloon  to  the  height  of  a  mile,  and  let 
himself  down  by  a  parachute.  They  said  he  was  a 
pygmy,  to  all  appearances,  as  he  left  the  balloon,  and 
when  he  reached  the  ground  he  was  senseless.  Well, 
what  does  such  a  performance  amount  to?  Who  is 
benefited  by  it?  We  can  discover  no  more  good  grow- 
ing out  of  it  than  from  the  cock-pit  or  the  bull-fight. 

At  Oswego  we  find  an  old  city  born  of  land  and 
water,  standing  close  on  the  shore  of  Ontario  and  on 
both  sides  of  a  river.  The  facilities  for  manufacturing 
can  hardly  be  surpassed.  Fifty  years  ago  it  was  the 
great  flour-city  of  the  land.  The  streets  are  wide,  and 


10  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

the  city  is  handsomely  built.  Along  the  southern  shore 
of  Ontario  apples,  pears,  and  grapes  are  abundant. 
Large  fields  of  corn  are  ripening  for  harvest;  forests 
of  oak  and  pine  are  common. 

But  the  climax  of  this  route  is  the  Niagara  Cataract. 
New  York  is  renowned  for  its  waterfalls.  The  Genesee, 
the  Trenton,  the  Cohoes,  the  Glen,  and  Little  Falls,  all 
are  significant,  and  deservedly  attract  attention;  but 
when  these  are  held  in  contrast  with  Niagara,  they 
vanish  into  frivolousness.  England  may  boast  of  the 
greatest  fortress  of  the  world  at  Gibraltar,  Paris  of  the 
largest  theatre  and  library,  Switzerland  of  the  longest 
railroad-tunnel,  Africa  of  the  most  extended  desert; 
but  Niagara  Falls  loses  not  when  compared  with  these 
for  vastness.  View  it  from  Table  Rock,  —  what  an  im- 
mense body  of  water  is  pitching  over  and  down  more 
than  a  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  and  three  quarters  of  a 
mile  wide !  In  the  deep  whirlpool  what  boiling,  heav- 
ing, throwing!  No  wonder  the  channel  is  constantly 
deepening,  widening,  receding.  It  is  strange  how  stone 
can  resist  for  any  time  such  an  angry,  tearing  foe. 
Certainly  the  mightiest  mythological  gods  could  do 
nothing  to  assuage  the  wrath  of  these  swelling,  foam- 
ing, smoking  floods.  Descend  into  the  chasm  by  the 
stairway  cut  through  the  solid  rock,  and  as  you  stand 
under  the  jutting  cliffs,  look  up  and  southward,  and  lo ! 
a  deluge  from  the  Great  Lakes  is  just  ready  to  over- 
whelm you.  The  thundering  and  dashing  sounds  nearly 
astound  you.  Face  the  other  way,  and  how  the  tides 
hiss,  leap  over  one  another  and  go  bounding  northward, 
as  though  frightened  by  countless  demons  !  Here  and 


BOSTON  TO   SAN   FRANCISCO.  II 

there  hang  from  the  cliffs  shrubs  and  bushes,  as  though 
dreading  a  fall.  At  noonday,  as  the  sunlight  dips  into 
this  gulf,  the  rainbows  chase  one  another  around,  as  the 
vapor  dodges  in  every  conceivable  direction,  spanning 
the  chasm  with  countless  brilliants.  Three  miles  below 
the  Falls  man  has  stretched  across  from  cliff  to  cliff 
threads  of  iron,  —  so  they  seem  from  a  distance,  —  that 
carriage  and  car  may  go  safely  over  the  yawning  tor- 
rents, thus  joining  east  and  west  with  closest  ties. 
Coming  up  from  these  wild  prisons  of  waters  and 
advancing  on  the  American  side  above  the  Falls  a  little 
way,  and  still  another  stupendous  sight !  It  appears  as 
if  the  flood-gates  of  all  waters  had  just  been  opened, 
and  behold !  they  are  tumbling  in  wildest  and  most 
frightful  race  onward  to  the  sea.  The  first  impression 
is,  you  must  run  in  hottest  speed  to  get  out  of  the  way. 
These  are  the  so-called  rapids ;  and  whoever  gets  into 
their  clutches  is  sure  to  be  hurled  over  the  Falls  and 
into  the  bottomless  vortex  whence  none  have  ever  re- 
turned. In  examining  these  wonders,  the  thoughtful 
can  but  keep  profoundest  silence.  One  Niagara  Falls 
is  enough  for  America  and  the  world. 

The  Canadas  constitute  a  vast  country.  If  the  word 
kanata,  whence  the  name  is  derived,  signifies  "  a  collec- 
tion of  huts,"  it  is  not  applicable  to  the  lower  portions 
at  the  present  time.  The  broad,  level,  cultivated  fields 
show  that  it  is  settled  by  an  enterprising  people,  most 
of  whom  are  of  English,  Scotch,  French,  and  Irish  ex- 
traction. But  it  is  plain  that  they  are  good  husband- 
men, from  their  waving  corn  and  herds  of  cattle.  Much 
of  the  country  is  still  covered  with  dense  forests,  though 


12  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

mills  are  numerous  and  yards  are  piled  high  with  lum- 
ber. Canada  is  still  rich  in  timber.  Her  mines  of  iron 
and  coal  and  her  quarries  of  sandstone  and  marble  are 
inexhaustible.  The  villages  indicate  thrift  and  comfort. 
The  cities  of  Hamilton,  Kingston,  and  London  resemble 
towns  of  like  size  in  the  mother  country.  The  name 
of  Victoria  is  very  dear  to  the  hearts  of  the  people. 
One  would  ask  for  no  stronger  proof  of  this  than  to 
hear  the  children  in  their  schools  sing  "  God  save  the 
Queen."  The  inspiration  often  breathed  into  the  song 
will  lift  them  from  their  seats.  If  the  winters  here  are 
long,  the  summers  are  hot.  Still  the  climate  is  health- 
ful and  the  people  robust.  As  the  train  is  rushing  on, 
insects  dodge  in  and  out  of  the  windows.  They  seem 
to  keep  apace  with  perfect  ease.  Really,  how  marvel- 
lous is  the  speed  of  the  fly !  It  is  said  to  be  equal  to 
making  the  journey  across  the  Atlantic  and  back,  while 
we  would  be  eating  an  ordinary  breakfast ;  or  if  we  could 
have  a  steamer  with  the  speed  of  the  boat-fly,  we  could 
start  at  noon  to  girdle  the  earth  and  have  it  high  noon 
all  the  way  round;  or  if  we  could  build  cathedrals 
proportionally  large  according  to  our  size  to  the  mounds 
of  the  termites  of  Africa,  many  of  the  religious  structures 
would  tower  more  than  five  thousand  feet  in  altitude. 
The  churches,  by  the  way,  indicate  that  the  Roman 
Catholics  are  the  ruling  sect  in  this  region. 

The  train  is  taken  out  of  the  Queen's  dominion  across 
the  St.  Clair  River  on  immense  ferry-boats  to  Port 
Huron.  This  city  is  honored  with  being  the  birthplace 
of  Edison  the  great  electrician.  Here  we  have  our 
first  ride  in  street-cars  driven  by  lightning.  The  great 


BOSTON  TO   SAN   FRANCISCO.  13 

inventor's  father  is  still  living  here  in  a  humble  cottage, 
hale  and  active,  though  he  has  lived  more  than  four- 
score years.  But  the  son  has  lived  more  than  the  father. 
It  is  thought  that  decides  the  living.  One  may  dwell  in 
a  pandemonium  and  live  in  a  paradise. 

Now  the  course  is  through  the  central  part  of  Michi- 
gan, which  is  appropriately  entitled  to  the  sobriquet  of 
"  the  Lake  State."  At  any  rate,  it  is  bordered  on  three 
sides  by  water.  Its  surface  is  undulating  and  in  parts 
hilly  and  mountainous.  Its  soil  is  rich,  and  its  exten- 
sive copper-mines  the  best  in  the  world.  Its  fruit-trees 
are  bending  under  their  autumn  gifts.  Probably  its 
apples  and  grapes  are  superior  to  any  others.  The 
farm-buildings  exhibit  thrift.  The  ripening  corn  stands 
high,  and  covers  thousands  of  acres.  The  State,  no 
doubt,  is  most  indebted  for  her  great  wealth  and 
prosperity  to  her  public-school  system,  which  is  graded 
from  the  primary  school  to  the  university.  These  are 
exempt  from  tuition  to  all  her  sons  and  daughters. 
Her  State  University  ranks  among  the  very  highest. 
Is  it  not  the  Oxford  of  America?  As  a  State,  Michigan 
has  been  in  the  Union  rather  more  than  half  a  century. 
Its  area  is  about  the  same  as  England,  but  its  popula- 
tion is  not  more  than  one  tenth  as  much.  With  its 
great  natural  advantages,  what  possibilities  and  proba- 
bilities await  it !  It  is  a  grand  State  now,  and  what  will  it 
not  be  a  hundred  years  hence?  It  is  a  pleasure  to  survey 
its  cities,  its  farms,  its  orchards,  its  forests,  its  railroads,  its 
water  facilities,  and  anticipate  the  grand  future  before  it. 

Leaving  Michigan  and  circling  round  the  head  of  the 
lake  of  the  same  name,  the  traveller  is  soon  ushered 


14  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

into  the  great  city  of  the  West.  As  he  steps  out  of  the 
car  and  takes  one  look,  he  can  but  exclaim,  "  What  a 
stupendous  depot!  What  throngs  are  rushing  to  and 
fro  on  every  hand !  "  He  has  no  disposition  to  ques- 
tion the  honesty  of  the  criers  as  they  proclaim  the 
name  Chicago.  Ah,  this  is  the  city  of  brains  and 
grains,  of  magnificent  depots  and  elevators,  of  grand 
banking-houses  and  commercial  establishments !  This 
city  of  five  hundred  thousand  inhabitants  is  scarcely 
more  than  half  a  century  old.  During  this  period  it 
has  been  subject  to  terrible  drawbacks.  Its  fire  of 
1871  swept  over  more  than  two  thousand  square  acres, 
destroying  in  less  than  thirty-six  hours  two  hundred 
million  dollars'  worth  of  property.  The  heart  can  but 
shudder,  as  it  now  recalls  that  catastrophe.  Many  of 
the  scenes  were  appalling,  and  many  were  sublime.  If 
it  were  a  greater  disaster  than  had  ever  befallen  any 
other  city  in  so  short  a  time,  its  recovery  was  equally 
astounding;  for  two  years  after  the  conflagration  there 
was  scarcely  a  trace  of  it  left.  The  seventeen  thou- 
sand buildings  destroyed  were  nearly  replaced,  and 
the  seventy-three  miles  of  streets  were  again  occupied 
by  new  buildings,  many  of  them  far  more  imposing  and 
substantial  than  the  old.  The  secret  of  this  uprising  as 
the  Sphinx  from  its  own  ashes  was  the  sympathy  ex- 
pressed by  generous  hearts  from  all  over  the  land  in 
sending  to  the  sufferers  seven  million  dollars.  So  it 
always  is :  real  Christianity  practises  what  it  preaches. 
The  valuation  of  the  city  now  is  estimated  at  billions 
of  dollars.  It  is  making  greater  shipments  of  grain, 
meat,  and  lumber  than  ever  hitherto.  Should  it  con- 


BOSTON  TO   SAN   FRANCISCO.  15 

tinue  as  it  has,  what  will  it  be  two  centuries  hence? 
Larger  than  Babylon,  that  had  been  growing  for  two 
thousand  years,  or  than  London,  which  has  been  in- 
creasing for  a  decade  of  centuries.  If  Chicago  is  char- 
acteristically a  city  of  traffic,  it  nevertheless  abounds  in 
schools,  churches,  and  literary  institutions.  It  publishes 
more  than  twenty  daily  papers  and  hundreds  of  weekly 
periodicals.  The  anarchists,  who  have  endeavored  to 
bring  from  foreign  lands  their  pernicious  principles  and 
to  organize  them  in  this  city  and  set  them  to  work,  have 
found  this  hard  ground  on  which  to  operate.  Through 
grievous  experience  the  riffraffs  from  abroad  are  begin- 
ning to  realize  that  in  our  country  the  only  liberty  to  be 
enjoyed  is  the  liberty  to  do  right.  The  misanthrope 
may  go  about  with  his  lantern  declaring  there  is  no 
such  thing  as  an  honest  man;  but  as  he  gets  behind 
prison-bars  and  conscience  smites  him  into  honest  con- 
viction, he  is  bound  to  acknowledge  to  himself  that  a 
righteous  power  has  brought  him  to  justice.  How 
noble  it  is  that  the  great  city  has  moral  significance, 
so  that  the  shrewd  intellect  and  depraved  heart  cannot 
have  freest  play !  However  great  the  capabilities  of  a 
city  may  be,  and  however  successful  its  human  pursuits, 
these  are  not  the  highest  ends ;  the  highest  are  moral 
tendencies,  proclaiming  defeat  to  the  wrong  and  victory 
for  the  right. 

Fairly  out  of  the  city  into  the  country  in  September, 
the  land  smiles  with  gardens  and  immense  fields  of 
corn.  Forty  miles  to  the  southwest  is  Joliet,  one  of  the 
finest  towns  of  Illinois.  This  is  the  market  where  five 
million  bushels  of  wheat  are  annually  sold.  The  public 


1 6  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

buildings  are  made  out  of  stone  quarried  close  by.  The 
State-prison  is  here ;  and  the  convicts  work  upon  stone, 
the  work  being  so  managed  as  to  bring  a  revenue  to  the 
State. 

As  the  Michigan  Southern  train  sweeps  on,  the  Des 
Plaines  River  and  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal  are 
reached.  Still  westward,  and  at  Norris  history  recounts 
the  first  battle  of  the  Black  Hawk  War  in  1831.  Exam- 
ining the  city  now,  it  is  difficult  to  imagine  that  here  the 
Indian  camp-fire  once  burned,  and  the  redmen's  arrows 
flew  and  their  scalping-knives  flashed.  But  barbarism 
has  given  place  to  civilization;  the  new  is  better  than 
the  old. 

Ninety-nine  miles  from  Chicago  the  train  halts  at 
La  Salle,  where  are  to  be  seen  apparatus  for  coal- 
mining, structures  for  smelting  zinc  and  glass,  and  works 
for  making  bricks  and  files.  Now  on  to  the  longest 
river  in  the  world  save  the  Nile.  The  scenery  is  greatly 
diversified.  Woods  are  frequent,  and  the  trees  of  good 
size.  Oaks,  elms,  poplars,  cottonwood,  ash,  birch,  wil- 
low, maples,  locusts,  and  butternuts  can  be  readily  dis- 
tinguished. For  two  hours  the  California  route  runs 
through  wide-spreading  prairies.  The  fields  of  corn, 
to  the  New  England  eye,  seem  enormous  in  area.  Ap- 
proaching the  Great  River,  the  bluffs  of  Rock  Island 
put  in  their  appearance,  where  the  Indians  once  made 
a  bold  stand  against  their  foes,  and  held  out  till  they 
starved  to  death.  Riding  along  the  embankment,  the 
river  looks  grander  than  the  yellow  Rhone  or  the  blue 
Danube.  Here  are  the  last  rapids  of  the  Mississippi 
River,  which  are  proving  of  vast  benefit  to  the  city  of 


BOSTON  TO   SAN  FRANCISCO.  17 

Rock  Island.  A  splendid  bridge  extends  across  to  the 
lower  portion  of  the  island,  beyond  which  the  mighty 
flood  of  water  sweeps  to  the  west,  and  is  spanned  by 
another  bridge,  bearing  up  the  long  train  as  if  it  were 
on  solid  stone. 

Just  on  the  opposite  bank  is  situated  Davenport,  the 
second  town  of  Iowa  in  population  and  importance.  A 
vast  soldiers'  gathering  is  breaking  up,  as  the  train  stops 
here.  The  Governor  of  the  State  is  being  escorted  to 
the  station.  He  is  a  young-looking  man,  but  has  the 
reputation  of  having  been  the  bravest  of  the  brave  in 
our  recent  war.  The  buildings  of  this  city  do  not  im- 
ply that  wood  and  stone  are  plenty.  It  is  said  that 
the  old  Egyptians  constructed  their  tombs  and  temples 
to  last  forever,  but  that  their  houses  were  made  so  as 
to  perish  in  a  little  while.  So  it  would  appear  that  the 
houses  here  are  not  made  to  stay. 

From  this  side  of  the  river  is  presented  a  fine  view 
of  the  United  States  Arsenal,  on  Rock  Island,  which 
was  removed  here  from  the  far-famed  Harper's  Ferry. 
Somehow  the  facts  of  history  in  connection  with  the 
picturesque  of  Nature  move  us  most.  Why,  the  very 
spot  on  which  this  depot  stands  is  far  famed  for  the 
treaty  of  1835  between  General  Scott  and  the  Black 
Hawk  Indians,  by  which  large  possessions  were  secured 
to  our  Government.  Surveying  the  country  around,  it 
becomes  evident  that  this  whole  region  was  once  the 
bed  of  an  extensive  lake.  Dig  into  the  earth  for  twenty 
and  thirty  feet,  and  it  is  found  to  be  of  aqueous  forma- 
tion. Not  far  south  from  this  point,  some  years  ago,  a 
well  was  being  dug.  Having  descended  thirty  feet,  the 


I 8  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

workmen  came  upon  the  stump  of  a  large  tree.  They 
dug  around  it,  and  a  few  feet  lower  were  found  a  rude 
axe  and  saw,  proving  beyond  question  that  the  tree 
must  have  been  felled  ages  before.  Thus  it  is :  those 
who  have  eyes  to  see  are  being  constantly  surprised 
at  the  stupendous  changes  that  have  been  taking  place 
in  all  the  ages.  No  doubt  as  great  revolutions  are 
going  on  now  as  ever  in  the  past.  Were  there  not 
an  overruling  power,  these  apparent  disturbances  would 
bring  destruction.  But  earthquakes,  cyclones,  and  vol- 
canoes come  and  go,  and  still  the  world  continues,  and 
order  holds  its  sway. 

The  line  now  is  through  the  best  part  of  Iowa,  whose 
name  signifies  "  the  beautiful  land."  Rolling  surfaces 
now  prevail.  Patches  of  trees  are  planted,  and  sizable 
timber  borders  the  gullies.  The  buildings  do  not  ap- 
pear so  neat  and  comfortable  as  in  the  East.  The  farm- 
yards are  likely  to  be  cluttered,  presenting  no  beds 
of  flowers.  The  people  evidently  live  here  to  make 
money.  Fat  hogs  and  steers  and  horses,  it  would 
seem,  delight  their  taste  most,  in  whatever  sense  the 
term  is  used.  Many  of  these  farms  are  more  or  less 
involved.  It  would  be  difficult  to  guess  how  much  capi- 
tal from  the  East  is  invested  in  them ;  yet  no  such  high 
rates  are  paid  as  formerly.  Give  the  State  fifty  years 
more,  and  it  will  have  stocks  beyond  its  limits. 

The  next  important  town  is  Des  Moines,  the  metropo- 
lis of  the  State,  situated  on  the  river  of  the  same  name. 
Here  is  the  State  University,  which  has  become  widely 
known  for  thoroughness  and  good  scholarship.  Its 
buildings  and  those  of  the  public  schools  do  honor  to 


BOSTON  TO    SAN   FRANCISCO.  19 

the  city.  Proceeding,  and  it  is  not  far  on,  before  we  are 
winding  among  knolls  and  barren  bluffs.  The  scenery 
is  weird,  and  at  times  desolate.  At  length  the  valley 
of  the  Missouri  River  is  descried,  and  the  signal  for 
Council  Bluffs  is  given.  This  city  has  sprung  from  the 
river  as  by  the  charms  of  sirens  or  the  swaying  of  Nep- 
tune's wand.  Crossing  the  river,  its  waters  are  discov- 
ered to  be  as  yellow  as  the  Tiber  and  as  thick  with 
sediment  as  the  Nile.  Omaha  stands  fronting  the  river. 
This  city,  too,  has  sprung  up  as  by  magic.  The  past 
two  years  the  population  has  grown  from  ninety  to  one 
hundred  and  twenty  thousand.  It  is  a  rushing  city,  full 
of  life  and  vim.  In  educational  and  religious  matters 
it  is  taking  long  and  quick  strides.  May  it  not  be 
justly  styled  a  precocious  city?  For  it  was  laid  out 
less  than  forty  years  ago.  Indeed,  it  has  become 
almost  a  monstrosity ;  and  it  surely  will  be,  if  it  keeps 
on  as  at  present.  It  boasts  of  its  fine  preachers  and 
superior  schools. 

Beyond  this  point  the  route  is  up  the  Platte  River 
and  through  Nebraska.  This  is  a  State  of  wide-stretch- 
ing distances.  In  the  northern  and  eastern  portions  the 
soil  is  rich  and  fairly  well  watered.  The  sunrise  here 
is  like  that  upon  the  ocean.  The  houses  scattered  along 
the  way  and  clumped  into  villages  do  not  imply  the 
greatest  thrift.  Of  course  we  should  not  expect  com- 
plete things  here,  for  the  State  was  not  admitted  into 
the  Union  till  1867.  It  has  wrought  wonders  consider- 
ing it  has  but  recently  reached  its  majority.  When  it 
shall  arrive  at  its  manhood,  it  promises  something  mar- 
vellous. The  cornfields  do  not  compare  favorably  with 


2O  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

those  of  Illinois.  The  stalks  are  shorter,  and  the  ears 
smaller.  At  this  season  the  nights  are  chilly,  and  in 
the  morning  the  ground  is  frequently  white  with  frost. 
It  is  strange  how  this  people  can  endure  the  winters  in 
their  unclapboarded  structures.  Many  of  them,  per- 
chance, live  in  dugouts.  Wild  sunflowers  and  resin- 
weeds  are  rank  and  plentiful.  Large  flocks  of  crows 
swoop  round  the  grainfields,  and  the  larks  are  making 
merry  every  new  day.  Large  herds  of  cattle  and  horses 
are  wandering  over  the  ranches,  but  no  buffaloes  nor 
deer  are  anywhere  discovered.  Trees  are  very  scarce ; 
here  and  there  orchards  have  been  planted.  The  soil 
is  of  sedimentary  deposit,  and  generally  but  sparsely 
covered  with  grass.  The  squatters  for  the  most  part 
appear  as  though  their  lot  had  not  fallen  to  them  in 
pleasant  places. 

Having  journeyed  nearly  four  hundred  miles  in  Ne- 
braska, whose  cognomen  signifies  "  shallow  waters," 
away  in  the  distance  are  to  be  seen  the  Rockies  resem- 
bling piles  of  ashes  and  heaps  of  snow.  One  would 
scarcely  believe  their  summits  could  be  three  miles 
above  the  level  of  the  sea.  Well,  one  thing  is  certain, 
—  if  those  mountains  are  so  high,  this  State  is  lofty. 
As  the  conductor  asserts  that  a  great  city  is  only  five 
miles  ahead,  how  the  eyes  open  and  look  and  strain 
over  the  vast,  unobstructed  plain !  But  of  a  sudden 
Denver  is  announced,  and  the  cars  are  soon  emptied. 
This  is  like  coming  to  an  island  in  mid-ocean.  All  are 
delighted.  There  is  tonic  in  the  air,  and  something 
here  that  renders  the  old  young.  We  are  reminded,  in 
Greek  mythology,  of  the  story  of  Medea,  who  by  the 


BOSTON  TO   SAN  FRANCISCO.  21 

magic  of  her  incantations  kept  all  in  the  bloom  of 
youthful  beauty.  The  elastic  step  and  quick  turn  on 
the  street  remind  one  of  the  mediaeval  romance  de- 
scribing pilgrims,  wondrous  and  adventurous,  in  quest 
of  the  Sangreal,  or  the  treasure  hid  at  the  foot  of  the 
rainbow.  It  must  be  that  the  "  philosopher's  stone," 
which  all  through  the  Middle  Ages  was  untiringly 
sought  in  vain,  has  been  found.  The  barometer  re- 
ports it  to  be  six  thousand  feet  higher  than  Boston; 
surely  it  can  look  down  upon  the  Eastern  cities.  The 
stranger,  as  he  rides  through  the  streets  five  miles 
north  and  south  and  three  miles  east  and  west  in  the 
tramway  driven  by  lightning,  beholding  the  grand 
buildings,  must  be  delighted  and  surprised  to  find 
such  a  superb  city  so  far  inland.  It  is  constructed 
mostly  of  brick  and  stone;  the  latter  consists  of  red 
sandstone  and  marbles  which  were  quarried  near  by: 
these  make  a  handsome  finish.  Fifteen  years  ago, 
there  was  only  a  village  here  of  a  few  thousand  inhabi- 
tants ;  while  at  present  it  is  asserted  that  the  city  has 
a  population  of  a  hundred  thousand,  containing  more 
rich  people  according  to  the  number  than  any  other  city 
in  the  Union.  The  town  is  built  on  both  sides  of  the 
Platte  River,  whose  waters  have  been  turned  from  their 
natural  channel  by  the  Holly  system,  so  as  to  furnish 
the  city  with  an  abundant  supply  for  house,  garden,  and 
mill;  and  still  more  water  is  spread  over  the  surface 
outside  of  the  city  through  canals,  so  that  wheat,  pota- 
toes, clover,  and  thirty  thousand  fruit  and  forest  trees 
thrive  luxuriantly.  The  leading  business  is  connected 
with  mining.  Hence  the  smelting  establishments  and 


22  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

mint  are  looked  upon  by  the  Denverites  as  impor- 
tant factors  to  their  prosperity.  Stock-raising,  too,  has 
proved  a  great  success,  and  made  a  necessity  for  large 
slaughter  and  packing  houses.  Agriculture  has  now 
come  to  hold  an  important  place;  and  not  a  few  are 
sanguine  that  the  time  will  soon  come  when  it  will 
rank  second,  if  not  first,  in  adding  wealth  to  the  city. 
The  people  express  a  decided  respect  for  our  poets  by 
naming  their  school-houses  after  Bryant,  Longfellow, 
Whittier,  Holmes,  Lowell,  and  Emerson.  These  build- 
ings surely  are  a  credit  to  their  namesakes.  They  are 
the  best  lighted  and  ventilated  school-buildings  of  the 
world.  The  bookstores  carry  a  large  assortment;  the 
largest  is  equal  to  the  best  in  the  East.  The  mercantile 
establishments  generally  are  on  a  large  scale  for  a  town 
far  removed  from  the  sea  and  navigable  rivers.  The 
University  here  promises  much  for  the  prosperity  of 
this  city  and  State.  A  splendid  Capitol  building  is 
going  up  which  is  to  cost  millions  of  dollars,  and  a 
magnificent  Methodist  Church  has  just  been  completed. 
On  the  Sabbath  the  churches  are  usually  well  attended ; 
however,  some  few  of  its  stores  are  open,  and  the  liquor- 
saloons  are  in  full  blast.  A  great  financial  boom  is  now 
at  red  heat.  Fabulous  prices  are  being  paid  for  lots 
and  buildings.  It  is  difficult  to  surmise  what  the  out- 
come of  this  city  is  to  be.  The  Denverites  believe  it 
is  to  become  the  largest  midland  city  in  our  country. 
One  thing  is  certain,  —  the  ranches  that  run  far  off  to 
the  east  and  south  must  remain  very  much  as  they 
are,  for  they  cannot  be  changed  without  water,  and 
the  mountains  to1  the  west  are  made  to  last.  Long's 


BOSTON  TO   SAN   FRANCISCO.  23 

Peak  to  the  north  is  majestic;  Roslin,  Evans,  Gray's, 
and  James's  Peaks  to  the  west  are  gigantic,  and  Pike's 
Peak  to  the  south  is  sublime.  Whatever  becomes  of 
man's  work,  these  are  sure  to  endure.  The  climate 
here  is  variable.  Often  in  the  summer  the  thermome- 
ter indicates  a  hundred  degrees  of  heat,  and  in  the 
winter  the  mercury  frequently  falls  twenty  degrees  be- 
low the  freezing-point.  But  the  atmosphere  is  so  dry 
and  light  that  these  changes  do  not  seem  so  great  as 
in  places  close  to  the  sea. 

The  Denver  and  Rio  Grande  Railroad  starts  from  this 
point,  going  to  the  south  and  then  to  the  west  over  the 
Rockies  to  the  Pacific  Slope.  It  is  estimated  that  five 
hundred  travellers  enter  and  leave  Denver  daily;  ac- 
cordingly, the  cars  are  usually  crowded.  Two  roads 
already  centre  here,  and  two  others  are  being  built.  In 
going  twenty  miles  to  the  south,  Palmer  Lake  is  reached, 
which  is  like  an  amethystine  gem  put  into  the  most 
romantic  setting;  gray,  ragged  mountains  bound  one 
side,  and  wild  shrubby  ranches  the  other.  But  its 
most  curious  feature  is  its  outlets,  —  one  flowing  off 
to  the  north,  emptying  into  the  river  Platte,  and  the 
other  to  the  south,  being  discharged  into  the  Arkansas 
River.  It  cannot  be  questioned  that  this  lake  is  set 
upon  a  hill. 

Colorado  Springs  next  attract  the  eye.  This  is  a 
village  of  a  few  thousand  inhabitants,  and  is  a  special 
resort  in  the  winter  for  invalids.  It  is  the  Nice  of  this 
country.  A  short  distance  from  it  to  the  west  is  Mani- 
tou,  with  its  hot  springs,  its  Rainbow  Falls,  and  its 
Garden  of  the  Gods.  This  is  a  summer-resort  where  the 


24  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

weak  and  the  robust  can  revel  in  Arcadian  fields  under 
the  shadow  of  Pike's  Peak.  The  road  now  inclines  to 
the  south,  and  brakes  are  applied  to  the  iron  horse. 
Hawks  are  whistling  overhead ;  blackbirds  are  frightened 
by  the  rattling  wheels.  Pines  are  scattered  through  the 
glades,  and  cypresses  shield  the  flanks  of  the  mountains. 
It  is  not  long  before  the  train  whistles  into  Pueblo,  the 
so-called  Garden  City  of  Colorado.  The  name  implies 
that  the  Spanish  were  here  long  ago,  or  else  that  the 
Indians  must  have  borrowed  it  from  them.  It  is  not 
long  ago  the  wigwam  smoked  here,  and  the  untutored 
savage  caught  the  trout  and  chased  the  deer.  Now  it 
ranks  next  to  Denver  in  population,  and  is  fast  becom- 
ing a  railroad-centre.  From  the  faces  of  the  people,  it 
is  evident  that  all  the  sons  of  Noah  have  representatives 
here,  and  the  different  tongues  imply  nearly  as  great 
confusion  as  in  the  building  of  the  Tower  of  Babel. 
The  town  is  so  hemmed  in  as  to  be  hot  the  year  round. 
Grapes,  pears,  and  rareripes  thrive.  On  the  platform  of 
the  station  is  a  section  of  a  cottonwood-tree  which  was 
three  hundred  and  eighty  years  old  according  to  its  con- 
centric circles.  It  is  amusing  to  see  the  citizens  stand 
round  this  butt,  and  extol  the  vegetable  productions  of 
Colorado.  Pueblo  will  become  a  mammoth  city,  if  ad- 
vertising can  produce  such  a  result. 

The  course  is  now  westward  up  the  Arkansas  River. 
Its  current  is  swift  and  strong.  A  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  from  Denver,  the  cars  roll  into  Canon  City,  which 
is  wedged  in  between  hills  and  mountains.  The  people 
crowd  the  platform,  bound  to  see  who  is  coming.  As  a 
man  is  asked,  "Do  you  enjoy  living  here?  "  there  comes 


BOSTON  TO  SAN  FRANCISCO.  25 

like  a  flash,  "You  bet  I  do  ! "  Then  the  words  fly  from 
his  mouth,  "We  have  just  had  a  tremendous  boom,  and 
this  has  got  to  be  a  mighty  big  city ;  we  have  four  hun- 
dred prisoners  here,  and  we  work  them  in  the  quarries, 
and  it  pays."  Now  the  iron  steed  with  lungs  of  fire  and 
breath  of  steam,  as  onward  it  presses,  gives  sure  proof 
that  the  grade  is  rising  fast.  The  foot-hills  are  left  be- 
hind. Vast  ledges  are  drawing  close  together.  The 
train  is  running  along  the  brink  of  the  river,  whose 
waters  roar,  leap,  and  bound,  as  though  wild  with  rage. 
Soon  lofty  crags  menace  from  above;  granite  shafts 
shoot  up  five  hundred  feet;  the  antipodal  sides  draw 
together.  Now  the  serrated  columns  rise  a  thousand 
feet  above  us ;  their  sides  are  so  steep  that  no  shrub  or 
flower  can  find  footing  in  nook  or  crevice.  This  is 
Royal  Gorge.  The  train  here  crosses  an  iron  bridge 
that  is  suspended  from  aloft.  It  is  difficult  to  under- 
stand how  man  should  even  dare  conceive  of  a  railway 
being  built  through  such  an  awful  gulf.  It  is  question- 
able whether  the  old  Romans  ever  constructed  a  work 
through  the  Iron  Gates  of  the  Danube,  or  through  the 
gorges  of  the  Lebanon  Mountains,  comparable  to  this. 
Looking  up,  there  appears  to  be  a  measureless  vein  of 
bluest  azure.  At  length  these  stupendous  foundations 
begin  to  widen.  It  becomes  easier  now  to  draw  a  long 
breath.  Still  the  mountains  do  not  decrease,  but  mul- 
tiply in  number,  and  pierce  the  heavens  higher  and 
higher.  Ahead,  and  to  the  south,  are  the  white-capped 
summits  of  the  Sangre  de  Cristo.  Away  up  in  these 
heights  we  come  to  the  village  of  Salida.  Strange  that 
anybody  should  think  of  living  here !  How  fortunate, 


26  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

however,  that  mortals  differ  in  taste  and  desires !  The 
road  branches  at  this  point,  and  one  division  runs  to 
Fremont  Pass  and  the  Mount  of  the  Holy  Cross.  The 
altitude  gained  is  nine  thousand  feet  above  the  sea,  and 
the  air  the  last  of  September  is  balmy  and  comfortably 
cool.  You  talk  with  the  people,  and  they  do  not  im- 
press you  with  the  feeling  that  they  are  here  to  stay, 
but  to  make  money,  that  afterward  they  may  seek  for 
some  more  sunny  Eldorado. 

The  whistle  blows;  the  motive  power  has  been  in- 
creased by  an  additional  engine.  The  mountains  rise 
more  gradually ;  their  sides  are  dotted  with  evergreens, 
diminishing  in  size  the  higher  we  go.  The  road  now 
winds  and  winds,  and  twists  and  twists  among  the 
mountains.  It  is  up  and  up  for  hours  still.  The  views 
are  inconceivably  thrilling  and  picturesque.  Only  Al- 
mighty power  could  have  lifted  up  these  everlasting 
mountains  !  Snow  and  clouds  rest  upon  the  pinnacles. 
The  slanting  sunlight  gilds  the  western  slopes,  dropping 
shadows  into  the  valleys.  The  barometer  is  examined, 
and  lo !  we  are  riding  on  iron  rails  ten  thousand  feet 
higher  than  travellers  who  are  steaming  across  the 
ocean !  Could  the  ancient  dwellers  by  the  Nile  be- 
hold this  railway  on  the  top  of  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
would  they  not  declare  this  a  greater  work  than  piling 
up  the  pyramids  of  Gizeh?  Really,  does  it  not  surpass 
in  grandeur  any  or  all  of  the  Seven  Wonders  of  the 
Old  World? 

The  summit  of  Marshall  Pass  is  gained  as  the  stars 
shine  out  one  after  another,  till  the  whole  heavens  are 
fired  with  starlight  and  moonlight ;  and  soon  we  halt  for 


BOSTON  TO    SAN   FRANCISCO.  2/ 

the  night  in  the  city  of  Gunnison,  which  is  higher  than 
any  town  among  the  Alps  or  the  Himalayas. 

As  the  morning  glows  over  the  eastern  summits, 
sheets  of  frost  are  spread  upon  fields  of  grass  and  grain. 
The  dwellers  here  feel  that  Gunnison  is  yet  to  become 
a  great  mart.  The  present  hotel  is  massive  enough  to 
meet  the  demands  in  the  centre  of  New  York  or  Lon- 
don. The  appellations  of  the  mountains  and  streams 
imply  that  these  regions  were  long  the  admiration  of 
the  redman.  He  must  have  felt  secure,  so  isolated  from 
civilization.  Now  there  are  only  traces  of  the  tribes 
that  once  fished  in  these  rivers  and  ransacked  these 
wilds  for  the  wolf  and  bear.  It  is  at  present  a  mining- 
district,  and  is  fast  becoming  a  railroad-centre.  Several 
thousand  people  are  living  away  up  here  in  the  realm 
of  alternating  clouds  and  sunshine.  The  site  on  which 
the  city  stands  is  the  basin  of  a  volcanic  crater. 

A  great  variety  of  lava  has  been  thrown  up  into 
mounds  and  bluffs.  The  plain  is  composed  of  ashes 
and  scoriae  mixed  with  sand ;  so  it  is  naturally  pro- 
ductive, and  would  yield  abundantly  were  it  some  four 
thousand  feet  lower.  It  is  singular  the  New-England- 
born  should  seek  homes  here,  where  they  must  fight 
against  long  winters  and  cold  summers;  perspiration 
must  be  a  stranger  to  them,  and  pinching  cold  must 
hold  them  in  its  grasp  the  year  round.  They  but 
seldom  have  any  church  service,  and  their  schools  are 
of  an  inferior  order.  Really,  there  is  a  deal  of  wild- 
ness  still  lingering  in  the  Rockies.  Possibly  this  is  the 
reason  why  some  who  have  been  bred  in  luxury  enjoy 
these  highlands,  being  strained  up  with  cold  most  of 


28  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

the  year.  No  doubt  it  is  fortunate  that  it  takes  all 
kinds  of  people  to  make  a  human  world,  as  well  as  all 
sorts  of  elements  to  build  up  a  physical  globe. 

Gunnison  is  left  in  the  morning.  The  detour  is 
westward.  The  inclination  is  decidedly  downward,  in 
places  at  the  rate  of  two  hundred  feet  to  the  mile.  The 
passengers  can  but  query  now  and  then  as  to  what 
would  happen  if  the  brakes  should  give  out?  How- 
ever, the  scenery  is  so  exciting  that  they  cannot  spend 
much  time  in  borrowing  trouble.  They  speed  onward, 
downward,  turning  here,  there,  wonders  everywhere, 
whirling  through  canon  after  canon ;  now  are  presented 
masses  of  granite,  then  of  limestone,  then  of  lava  and 
trap-rock.  The  canons  keep  drawing  together,  and 
new  ones  burst  in  from  the  north  and  the  south.  Sec- 
tions are  piled  up  in  monumental  shape,  as  by  human 
skill,  and  then  are  castellated,  as  though  they  were 
the  haunts  of  Titan  gods.  For  miles  the  road-bed  is 
cut  into  solid  ledges,  and  runs  over  frightful  abysses 
and  thundering  waters.  Frequently  sparkling  currents 
come  leaping  and  laughing  from  aloft,  dissolving  before 
reaching  the  depths  into  silvery  vapors.  Of  a  sudden 
the  train  rushes  into  the  Black  Canon.  It  is  rightly 
named.  It  seems  as  though  a  mighty  fissure  in  the 
mountains  had  just  been  made,  only  wide  enough  for  a 
passage  through  them.  Looking  up,  it  is  more  than 
a  thousand  feet  to  the  expanded  sky.  The  view  is 
bounded  by  stone  and  a  patch  of  sky.  By  and  by  the 
rock  has  donned  a  red  cast,  like  the  syenite  of 
Egypt. 

After  whirling   and  twisting,  the  train  of  a  sudden 


BOSTON  TO   SAN   FRANCISCO.  29 

comes  in  view  of  Chippeta  Falls,  whose  roaring,  massive 
tide  pours  far  aloft.  Once  more  a  sharp  turn,  and 
behold !  a  magnificent  amphitheatre  is  spread  out,  and 
from  its  centre  shoots  up  the  Needle  of  Currecanti,  far 
grander  than  the  pyramid  of  Cheops  or  the  loftiest 
monument  ever  built  by  man.  It  towers  in  regular 
tiers  from  base  to  apex.  It  looks  as  though  it  were 
two  thousand  feet  high.  Round  the  flank  pines  of 
considerable  size  cluster,  and  continue  to  rise  on  the 
sides,  becoming  less,  till,  near  the  top,  they  are  mere 
pygmies.  Ah !  Black  Canon  is  king  of  all  its  kind  in 
the  Rocky  Mountains. 

Soon  Castle  Gate  opens  to  Price  River  Canon. 
Surely  the  walls  here  appear  as  if  they  must  have  been 
laid  up  for  actual  castles,  measuring  four  and  five 
hundred  feet  high.  Examine  them  ahead  or  aft,  they 
are  tremendous.  Who  knows  but  the  Cliff-dwellers 
of  Chase  Mountain  had  a  home  here?  Who  knows  but 
here  was  derived  the  idea  of  the  castles  of  Scotland  and 
along  the.  Rhine?  Cimmiron  Canon  is  passed,  and 
now  the  route  is  to  the  south  and  west  among  the  foot- 
hills leading  to  the  bottom-lands  of  Colorado  on  the 
west.  In  this  autumn  season  it  is  a  desolate  country. 
Sagebush  and  greasewood  cover  the  surface  of  plain 
and  hillock,  and  cottonwood  borders  the  streams  and 
gullies.  Ground-squirrels  are  dodging  out  of  and  into 
their  burrows,  while  numerous  hawks  are  sailing  over- 
head. At  length  the  creeks  are  left,  and  we  are  riding 
through  a  section  where  there  has  been  no  rainfall  for 
eighteen  months.  No  part  of  the  Sahara  Desert  can 
be  more  arid  than  is  the  ground  here  for  a  hundred 


3O  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

miles.  Once  in  a  while  we  come  to  little  settlements 
whose  habitations  look  as  though  they  were  ready  to 
fly  away.  In  these  places  you  are  sure  to  fall  in  with 
some  who  blow  loud  trumpets  in  praise  of  the  beautiful 
country.  But  you  ask  the  reliable  people  if  they  ex- 
pect to  spend  their  days  here,  and  they  are  prone  to 
reply,  "  We  should  feel  bad  if  we  felt  we  should  be 
obliged  to."  Then,  as  they  looked  upon  their  chil- 
dren they  would  continue,  "  We  lament  that  these  boys 
and  girls  cannot  have  the  advantages  of  the  East, 
-  in  schooling  and  church-going."  Statistics  show 
there  are  some  counties  in  this  State  where  no  Sunday 
services  are  held.  While  going  through  one  district 
a  passenger  remarks  that  he  saw  a  ground-squirrel 
shedding  tears  and  licking  them  up  to  keep  from 
dying  with  thirst.  As  the  train  starts  up  a  bevy  of 
quail,  a  brakeman  is  heard  to  remark,  "  You  see  we 
have  quail  on  the  prairie,  but  you  never  discover  any 
on  your  bread."  As  the  train  is  left  for  the  night  at 
Junction  City,  lodgings  are  secured  in  a  temperance 
hotel  kept  by  a  Maine  man  who  believes  in  prohibition 
and  practises  it.  He  remarked  that  he  was  "  under  the 
tuition  of  Neal  Dow  too  long  to  sell  liquor  in  any 
form."  His  wife  is  a  strong  believer  in  total  abstinence. 
Their  children  have  all  signed  the  temperance  pledge. 
This  surely  is  an  oasis  in  this  dreary  land.  How  for- 
tunate it  would  be  if  all  parents  would  thus  educate 
their  children ! 

Thirty  miles  on,  and  Colorado  is  left  behind,  whose 
silver  products  last  year  were  some  fifteen  million 
dollars,  —  surpassing,  in  this  respect,  any  other  State 


BOSTON  TO   SAN  FRANCISCO.  31 

or  Territory.  In  1870  it  had  not  a  rod  of  railroad, 
but  now  it  has  more  than  three  thousand  miles.  It 
has  also  three  colleges  and  more  than  forty  thousand 
children  in  school.  It  is  physically  the  loftiest  State 
in  the  Union,  and  it  may,  in  the  far-off  future,  stand 
highest  as  to  cultured  men  and  women. 

Of  a  sudden  the  train  darts  out  into  the  Utah  valley, 
rimmed  on  the  east  by  the  Wahsatch  Mountains,  on  the 
north  and  south  by  clusters  of  hills,  and  on  the  west 
by  Oquirrh  Range.  In  the  oblong  centre  lies  the  glis- 
tening Utah  Lake,  a  score  and  a  half  miles  long  and  ten 
miles  wide.  We  are  now  passing  among  well-improved 
farms.  Apples  are  ripening,  peaches  are  yellowing, 
grapes  hang  in  clusters,  and  shocks  of  corn  stand  high 
and  large.  This  is  the  Mormon  Land.  Verily,  Nature 
has  made  it  fair  and  inviting.  Indeed,  Brigham  Young 
showed  good  taste  when  he  selected  it  for  the  home  of 
his  church. 

As  Provo  is  reached,  it  presents  signs  of  enterprise 
and  prosperity.  This  is  a  shire  town,  and  the  court  is 
in  session.  A  sheriff  leaves  the  cars,  who  says  he  has 
come  hither  to  take  into  the  court  half-a-dozen  horse- 
thieves  who  are  certain  to  receive  a  long  sentence.  On 
the  platform  are  a  pumpkin  that  weighs  two  hundred 
pounds,  and  a  squash  nearly  as  large.  As  some  of  the 
passengers  make  a  trial  of  lifting  them,  they  soon  are 
satisfied  that  these  have  substance  as  well  as  show.  But 
these  are  monstrosities ;  more  pygmies  than  giants  are 
produced  in  this  land. 

As  the  train  is  about  to  leave,  many  new  passengers 
enter  the  cars.  Among  the  number  is  a  woman  on  the 


32  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

sunset  side  of  life,  dressed  in  black.  She  has  a  good 
face,  and  evidently  is  a  woman  of  character.  On  being 
asked  if  she  had  long  lived  in  Utah,  she  responded, 
"  Forty  years."  "  Then  it  is  home  to  you?  "  She  con- 
tinued :  "  Yes,  I  feel  so,  for  my  husband  sickened  and 
died  here,  and  I  have  a  son  and  daughter  settled  here ; 
so  it  is  my  home."  When  asked  if  she  belonged  to  the 
Latter-Day  Saints,  she  quickly  replied,  "  Certainly  I 
do,  and  have  for  forty  years."  She  furthermore  said : 
"  When  we  came  here,  we  did  not  have  the  comforts  of 
to-day;  for  weeks  and  months  we  were  obliged  to  sub- 
sist on  roots,  herbs,  and  whatever  we  could  find  in  the 
land.  Those  were  trying  times  ;  but  we  were  ready  to 
endure  for  the  sake  of  our  religion,  believing  the  Lord 
would  give  us  prosperity  by  and  by;  and  he  has." 
When  asked  how  she  regarded  the  Edmunds  Bill,  she 
answered,  "  I  think  it  is  just."  "  Well,  then,  you  do  not 
believe  in  polygamy?  "  She  responded,  "  Indeed,  I  do 
not,  and  never  did."  "  Do  the  women  or  wives  here 
generally?"  She  answered,  "I  do  not  think  so." 
"Then  you  are  confident  it  is  to  be  given  up?" 
"Certainly,  I  am." 

Now  the  train  is  running  along  the  banks  of  the  river 
Jordan,  which  is  the  outlet  of  the  Utah  Lake.  Its  waters 
are  clear,  and  used  for  drinking.  Large  herds  of  cattle, 
droves  of  horses,  and  flocks  of  sheep  are  grazing  in  the 
lots.  The  lands  are  fenced  off.  The  buildings  are 
fairly  good,  and  present  the  appearance  of  comfort. 
The  foot-hills  and  mountains  in  the  distance  are  almost 
countless.  Occasionally  woods  line  their  flanks,  but  their 
summits  are  bare  and  bleached;  while  the  meadows 


BOSTON  TO   SAN   FRANCISCO.  33 

are  dotted  with  orchards  and  fields  of  corn  and  clover. 
The  color  of  the  soil,  the  contour  of  the  highlands,  and 
the  saltness  of  the  Great  Lake  imply  that  fire  once 
raged  here,  and  that  the  whole  region  round  was  subject 
to  volcanic  commotion.  Perhaps  this  valley  was  once  a 
crater,  and  the  surrounding  mountains  constituted  the 
rim.  Utah  is  rich  in  coal  and  minerals. 

As  the  slanting  sunlight  tips  the  peaks  and  drops 
waving  shadows  into  the  vales,  fascinating  pictures  are 
presented,  worthy  the  canvas,  and  sure  to  delight  the 
most  cultivated  eye.  Just  as  the  western  heights  are 
shutting  off  the  last  rays  of  .the  sun,  and  brilliant  colors 
hang  above  gray  rocks  and  leafy  downs,  the  conductor 
exclaims,  "  Salt  Lake  City."  Hither  the  hosts  have 
come,  and  so  here  they  stop.  On  leaving  the  station 
and  entering  the  city,  the  streets  are  found  to  be 
straight  and  broad,  extending  due  north  and  south, 
east  and  west.  The  site  on  which  the  city  stands  em- 
braces six  thousand  acres,  and  is  laid  out  in  squares  of 
ten  acres  each.  Trees  line  the  streets,  and  water  runs 
in  the  ditches.  Brigham  Young  located  the  city.  His 
works  show  that  he  was  no  ordinary  man.  The  city  is 
beautiful  for  situation.  It  gradually  slopes  from  the 
north,  and  is  elevated  some  four  thousand  feet  above 
the  sea.  Guarded  as  it  is  by  mountains  and  arched  by 
propitious  skies,  its  climate  is  moderate  and  healthful 
the  year  round.  The  architecture  is  rather  plain ;  how- 
ever, some  of  the  public  buildings,  blocks  of  stores,  and 
private  houses  are  in  keeping  with  the  improved  styles 
of  Chicago  and  Boston.  But  the  Sacred  Square  is 
what  is  most  likely  to  attract  the  traveller's  eye.  It  is 

3 


34  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

centrally  situated,  and  is  encompassed  by  an  adobe  wall 
twelve  feet  high.  Passing  through  the  gate,  the  striking 
object  is  the  City  Temple,  not  yet  completed.  It  is 
being  constructed  out  of  granite,  and  is  one  hundred  and 
eighty-six  feet  long,  ninety  wide;  the  towers  at  the 
corners  are  to  be  ninety  feet  high,  and  the  front  central 
tower  a  hundred  and  twenty  feet  high.  It  will  be  a  sub- 
stantial building,  but  not  imposing  or  beautiful.  When 
contrasted  with  many  of  the  temples  of  Europe,  it  is 
ugly  and  insignificant.  The  Tabernacle,  which  is  near 
the  Temple,  reminds  one  of  the  dome-shaped  houses 
around  the  base  of  Vesuvius.  It  is  elliptical  in  form, 
and  only  seventy-five  feet  high,  with  a  seating  capacity 
of  ten  thousand.  Another  building  in  this  square  is 
the  Assembly  Hall,  which  looks  more  like  a  church- 
edifice  than  any  of  the  other  structures. 

The  guide  who  conducts  Gentile  strangers  around,  ex- 
hibiting the  sights,  is  a  burly  Scotchman,  whose  tongue 
is  never  weary  nor  silent.  If  his  guests  are  not  well 
informed  as  to  Mormonism  and  its  persecution,  it 
cannot  be  his  fault.  He  boldly  declares  that  the  Latter- 
Day  Saints  are  the  only  Christians  in  the  world,  and  the 
only  Christians  that  have  been  since  the  time  of  Christ ; 
and  that  they  are  to  increase,  as  descendants  of  Abra- 
ham, and  become  the  restored  Children  of  Israel,  in 
order  that  Zion  may  be  built  upon  this  continent,  and 
Christ  at  length  reign  here  with  the  Latter-Day  Saints, 
who  will  be  clothed  with  human  bodies. 

When  asked  what  he  thinks  of  the  Edmunds  Bill,  his 
reply  is  to  this  end :  "  It  is  another  thrust  at  the  Holy 
Church."  When  asked  if  he  thinks  that  the  church 


BOSTON  TO   SAN  FRANCISCO.  35 

will  submit  to  it,  his  answer  is :  "  Of  course ;  for  it  is  a 
part  of  our  creed  to  submit  to  kings  and  presidents  in 
obeying  and  sustaining  the  law.  Nevertheless,  it  was  a 
command  to  Abraham  to  increase  and  multiply,  and 
therefore  he  took  to  himself  several  wives ;  and  as  we 
are  the  true  Abrahamic  descendants,  we  feel  that  it  is 
right  and  necessary  for  a  man  to  have  as  many  wives 
as  he  can  support."  He  affected  great  zeal  for  his 
church.  It  could  not  be  said  of  him  for  his  much 
speaking,  as  Richter  said  of  Luther,  "  His  words  are 
battles."  He  vouches  for  the  infallibility  of  his  church 
and  for  polygamy,  as  do  the  laws  of  Trent  and  the  Vati- 
can for  the  Roman  Church.  So  it  is :  too  many  try  to 
use  their  religion  as  the  diver  does  his  bell,  to  descend 
into  the  depths  of  worldliness  and  finally  come  out  of 
the  mire  in  safety,  overlooking  that  irreversible  law, 
"As  a  man  sows,  so  shall  he  reap." 

Brigham  Young's  house  in  which  he  died  is  sure  to 
be  henceforth  a  Mecca  to  the  Latter-Day  Saints.  Close 
at  hand  are  other  residences  which  belong  to  the  dead 
apostle,  —  his  "  Bee-Hive  "  (so  called,  perchance,  be- 
cause it  contained  so  many  children) ;  and  his  Lion 
House,  distinguished  by  a  crouching  lion  over  the  door- 
way. These  buildings  are  fenced  in  by  lofty  walls,  and 
can  be  entered  only  through  strong  gates. 

Across  the  street  is  the  imposing  residence  of  Bishop 
Taylor,  where  he  was  secreted  for  a  long  while  previous 
to  his  death.  The  Edmunds  Bill  was  a  terrible  distress 
to  him.  Small  houses,  made  of  wood  and  brick,  are 
scattered  through  the  city,  occupied  by  different  wives 
of  the  sainted  men. 


36  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

The  schools  here  have  been  supported  altogether  by 
the  different  churches,  but  now  to  some  extent  they  are 
introducing  the  public-school  system.  Still  the  Mor- 
mons prefer  to  have  their  children  educated  in  their 
own  schools.  They  feel  proud  of  the  Deseret  Univer- 
sity, and  look  upon  it  as  their  Cambridge.  While,  as 
a  religious  body,  they  have  but  few  worthy  to  be  called 
scholars,  still  they  claim  to  have  no  proselytes  over  six 
years  of  age  who  are  unable  to  read  and  write. 

The  Mormon  press  is  under  efficient  management. 
The  editors  are  men  of  ability,  and  publish  whatever 
they  judge  will  help  forward  their  cause. 

The  municipal  government  of  Salt  Lake  City,  having 
a  population  of  thirty  thousand,  must  be  placed  among 
the  best  of  the  land  as  to  order  and  economy.  The 
policemen  are  few,  and  the  taxes  extremely  light. 

No  doubt  within  a  few  years  polygamy  will  be  ban- 
ished from  the  State.  It  is  believed,  if  the  truth  could 
be  known,  that  the  women  are  opposed  to  it;  accord- 
ingly, with  this  help  and  the  Edmunds  Law,  which  is 
being  vigorously  enforced,  the  plurality  of  wives  is 
doomed  in  Utah.  As  this  curse  passes  away,  prosperity 
will  smile  upon  the  land  as  never  hitherto.  Business  has 
greatly  improved  within  the  past  year.  As  polygamy 
goes  out,  the  home  industries  come  in.  gait  Lake  City 
ought  to  be  a  splendid  capital,  from  the  fact  of  its 
natural  advantages.  The  climate,  water,  and  sunlight 
are  all  that  could  be  desired. 

Salt  Lake  is  fifteen  miles  from  the  capital.  Its  waters 
are  nearly  as  salt  as  those  of  the  Dead  Sea.  This  is 
eighty  by  forty  miles  in  length  and  breadth.  The  best 


BOSTON  TO  SAN  FRANCISCO.  37 

of  salt  is  manufactured  from  its  waters.  There  are 
hot  sulphur  springs  just  outside  the  limits  of  the  city, 
which  have  already  become  famous  for  their  medicinal 
properties. 

The  Latter-Day  Saints  have  a  brewery  here  which 
they  claim  is  after  the  Divine  plan.  However,  the  faces 
of  some  of  their  old  converts  would  not  imply  this. 
What  terrible  evils  have  been  committed  in  the  name  of 
religion !  Men  love  to  sin  when  they  come  to  believe 
they  have  found  a  way  of  escaping  a  just  retribution. 
Too  many  have  been  saying,  with  Home  Tooke,  "  If  you 
would  be  powerful,  pretend  to  be  powerful."  But  did 
Henry  VIII. ,  or  Philip  II.,  or  Napoleon,  or  Joe  Smith 
make  this  rule  work  well?  Christ's  instruction  is  to 
the  contrary;  for  he  declares  that  "whosoever  shall 
lose  his  life  for  my  sake,  shall  find  it."  Christianity  is 
never  boastful ;  and  when  a  church  begins  to  laud  itself 
and  claim  to  be  the  church,  that  moment  it  begins  to 
fail  spiritually,  and  is  on  the  road  to  death,  if  it  persists 
in  harboring  conceit  and  false  pretension.  "  He  that 
humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted." 

A  Londoner  tarrying  any  time  in  Utah  during  Sep- 
tember and  October  would  be  surprised  at  the  succes- 
sion of  sunny  days.  The  air  is  clear,  and  the  sky  of  the 
deepest  blue.  Night  and  morning  the  horizon  is  tinged 
with  crimson,  and  the  mountain  sides  throw  down 
sheets  of  gold.  Certainly,  this  is  a  land  of  cerulean 
skies,  Castalian  dews,  and  lustrous  stars.  A  ride  of  an 
hour  from  Salt  Lake  City  to  Ogden  is  most  of  the  way 
along  the  shore  of  the  great  lake.  Its  waters  tend 
to  smoothness,  and  through  the  whole  day  are  shooting 


38  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

off  silver  rays.  The  farms  along  the  road  are  in  a  good 
state  of  cultivation.  Hundreds  of  acres  are  being  sown 
to  winter  wheat;  frequently  fields  are  literally  covered 
with  winter  squashes.  Ogden  is  a  big  little  city.  Its 
railroad  officials  and  policemen  are  bound  to  be  recog- 
nized as  important  factors.  Now  we  reach  the  junction 
of  the  Union  Pacific  and  Rio  Grande  Railroad.  Listen 
to  the  conversation  of  the  men  who  are  scattered  about 
in  small  groups,  and  you  will  find  that  it  is  universally 
about  mining  stocks.  Loud  watch-chains  are  being 
displayed,  and  things  are  done  on  a  large  scale.  Step 
up  to  a  fruit-stand  and  inquire  the  price  of  pears  and 
grapes,  and  you  are  pertly  answered,  "  Twenty-five 
cents  for  three  pears,  and  the  same  for  a  cluster  of 
grapes."  Lay  down  a  ten-cent  piece  that  you  may  get 
its  worth,  and  you  are  scoffed  at  with  the  accusation  of 
being  "  mighty  small."  This  city  of  a  few  thousand 
inhabitants  has  just  been  having  a  boom,  and  financial 
expectations  are  greatly  inflated.  After  a  time,  no 
doubt,  the  inflammation  will  subside,  so  far  at  least  as 
to  focus  the  eye  to  see  ten-cent  bits,  and  possibly  it 
will  not  be  thought  beneath  human  dignity  to  receive 
nickels  as  well  as  dollars. 

Now  for  a  hundred  miles  in  a  southerly  course,  we 
are  advancing  along  the  western  shore  of  the  Great 
Salt  Lake,  and  then  through  the  eastern  portion  of 
Nevada.  To  the  west  is  to  be  seen  the  range  of  the 
Humboldt  Mountains.  Close  at  hand  there  is  but  little 
else  than  a  waste  of  pulverized  lava  dotted  with  bunch- 
grass.  Once  in  a  while  is  to  be  seen  a  lone  settler,  who 
reminds  you  of  the  old  gentleman  who  was  invited  by 


BOSTON  TO   SAN  FRANCISCO.  39 

an  acquaintance  to  come  out  and  see  his  country-seat. 
He  went,  and  found  it  to  be  nothing  but  a  stump  in  a 
meadow.  The  country-seat  of  some  of  the  Nevadans 
can  be  nothing  more  than  a  dug-out,  minus  water. 

At  length  this  dusty  region  is  left  behind,  to  the 
satisfaction  of  all.  But  the  line  is  not  through  Elysian 
fields  for  some  time.  An  Irishman  discourses  to  the 
passengers  upon  the  splendors  of  this  region.  "  Oh !  " 
he  says,  "  this  is  a  jolly  place  for  deer  and  quail; 
it  is  a  great  country  for  roving."  Yes,  there  is  op- 
portunity enough  for  roving,  but  where  is  the  chance 
for  one  to  sit  under  any  vine  or  fig-tree?  For  the 
vegetable  growth  is  largely  confined  to  sagebush  and 
dwarf-oaks.  When  the  train  stops  for  lunch  in  these 
waste  lands,  it  is  one  dollar  for  breakfast  or  dinner 
or  supper;  and  in  a  few  instances  the  meal  consists 
largely  of  a  course  of  plates  and  the  rattling  of  dishes. 
It  is  often  amusing  to  hear  the  passengers  after  the 
meal  discourse  upon  its  quantity  and  quality.  One 
day  a  facetious  fellow,  describing  the  eggs,  said,  "  The 
hen  which  laid  them  was  so  old  that  she  could  not 
produce  any  sound  ones."  As  a  rule,  however,  the 
travellers  have  no  reason  to  find  fault  with  the  food  as 
to  quality  or  quantity. 

Reno  is  another  town  of  considerable  importance  on 
this  route,  which  has  sprung  up  as  by  the  stroke  of  a 
magical  wand.  Notices  are  posted  thick,  saying,  "  Look 
out  for  pickpockets  and  thieves !  "  So  the  world  is  no 
better  here  than  in  the  East.  The  dram-shops  draw 
the  crowds ;  and  do  you  wonder  there  should  be  broils 
and  robberies?  Strange  that  the  love  of  money  leads 


40  ROUND   THE  GLOBE. 

men  to  sell  their  own  souls  and  those  of  their  patrons 
to  the  Evil  One! 

The  dawn  is  bright,  and  the  new  day  opens  as  though 
made  to  gratify  the  wishes  of  those  bound  for  the 
Golden  City.  For  some  distance  the  road  is  along 
streams  that  supply  the  fields  with  plenty  of  water.  It 
appears  now  as  though  the  dwellers  could  live  here 
with  some  comfort.  In  a  few  hours  the  grade  is  up- 
ward. Forests  of  oak  and  pine  are  on  either  hand. 
Mills  are  frequently  passed  where  gang-saws  are  cut- 
ting out  vast  quantities  of  lumber.  At  length  a  mining 
village  is  reached  which  stands  upon  the  flanks  of  a 
mountain.  It  is  plain  to  be  seen  that  all  in  this  town 
are  not  zealous  workers.  When  it  is  asked,  "  How 
many  of  the  miners  are  truly  successful?"  a  reply 
comes  from  an  intelligent-looking  man:  "  Not  more 
than  one  in  a  thousand !  "  Still,  hosts  of  men  stand 
ready  to  take  their  chances,  and  somehow  delight  in 
venturing. 

The  foot-hills  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas  are  being  left 
behind.  The  trees  increase  in  size.  It  no  longer  seems 
wonderful  that  an  Easterner  once  visiting  this  region 
should  have  been  led  to  remark,  "  The  trees  are  so  tall 
that  one  is  obliged  to  look  three  times  before  he  can 
see  their  tops."  For  miles  we  are  riding  through  sheds 
which  protect  the  road  from  the  snows  of  winter. 
The  barometer,  being  examined  near  the  summit,  shows 
an  altitude  of  six  thousand  feet  above  the  sea-level. 
These  mountains  are  as  romantic  and  thrilling  as  the 
Rockies.  There  seems  to  be  no  end  to  the  pine  and 
cedar  forests.  It  is  surprising  to  find  such  monstrous 


BOSTON  TO   SAN   FRANCISCO.  41 

trees  at  so  great  a  height.  On  the  White  Mountains, 
five  thousand  feet  above  the  sea,  the  spruces  have 
diminished  into  pygmies;  but  here,  at  a  greater  alti- 
tude, the  trees  are  giants.  As  the  train  is  descending 
the  western  slope,  fine  views  are  had  of  the  Coast  Range. 
As  the  train  rounds  the  so-called  Cape  Horn,  it  is  down, 
down,  on  one  side  thousands  of  feet,  and  on  the  other 
it  is  up  and  upward  to  the  sky.  Across  the  jagged 
gulf  wavy  rays  of  light  play  among  the  trees.  The 
outspreading  valley  so  far  below;  the  hillocks  so  far 
beyond ;  and  the  Coast  Range,  both  bare  and  wooded, 
tinged  here  and  yon  with  silver,  sapphire,  and  gold,  — 
would  offer  enchantment  to  Hill  or  Rembrandt. 

Hawks  can  be  seen  cutting  cycloids;  crows  are  fly- 
ing in  flocks ;  the  bluejays  are  picking  the  acorns  from 
the  oaks.  While  the  train  is  being  made  ready  for 
safe  descent,  away  across  the  chasm  a  traveller  spies 
a  deer  gazing  from  the  brink  of  a  precipice.  The  Irish 
hunter  aboard  is  excited  now.  He  wishes  he  had  his  gun, 
and  he  wishes  he  was  over  there.  "  Oh,"  he  continues, 
"  this  is  the  country  for  game !  Oh,  I  had  rather  live 
here  than  on  the  Green  Isle  far  over  the  sea !  " 

The  vegetation  is  varied.  The  blossoms  are  of  the 
brightest  hues,  and  fill  the  air  with  sweetest  odors.  At 
midday  the  heat  forces  all  to  doff  their  outer  garments. 
It  seems  as  though  the  change  within  an  hour  had  been 
from  chilly  realms  to  balmiest  summer.  Here  one  can- 
not refrain  from  thinking  of  sunny  Italy,  if  he  has  had 
any  experience  there  in  descending  from  Alpine  peaks 
into  warmest  dells.  It  is  extraordinary  how  the  people 
have  climbed  from  the  valleys  and  plains  and  settled  in 


42  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

these  lofty  nooks.  The  cars  stop  at  short  intervals, 
where  villages  have  sprung  up  close  by  the  railroad. 
The  dwellers  in  them  appear  cheery  and  full  of  hope. 
Now  immense  clusters  of  grapes  are  brought  round  for 
sale,  which  might  well  rival  those  of  Eschol  in  olden 
days ;  peaches  too  are  abundant,  and  most  pleasing  to 
the  taste.  The  children  at  the  depots  are  as  plentiful 
as  the  flowers  in  the  glens,  and  their  cheeks  are  rosy- 
red.  A  woman  enters  a  car  at  one  of  these  highland 
stations,  with  a  basketful  of  the  productions  grown  on 
the  lofty  slopes,  which  she  is  bearing  to  the  Golden 
City.  Among  other  things  displayed  are  bolls  of  cotton 
which  she  has  just  picked  from  her  own  field.  They 
are  large  and  of  a  fine  quality.  These  will  not  only  be 
exhibited  in  California,  but  will  be  sent  far  and  wide  to 
advertise  the  land.  No  doubt  they  will  allure  some 
and  cause  others  to  leave  pleasant  homes  and  well- 
to-do  situations,  coming  thousands  of  miles  to  secure 
at  high  rates  a  rough  patch  of  land  which  is  nearly 
ready,  because  of  its  steep  inclination,  to  fall  into  the 
plain  far  below. 

After  zigzagging  for  hours,  the  train  has  reached  the 
bottom-lands  and  is  running  through  the  Sacramento 
Valley.  The  farming  now  is  on  a  large  scale.  It  is  not 
uncommon  to  see  lots  fenced  off  containing  one  and  two 
thousand  acres  under  cultivation,  and  controlled  by  one 
party.  The  buildings  are  usually  far  within  the  enclo- 
sure. The  neighborhoods  do  not  crowd  upon  one  an- 
other, nor  would  contagious  diseases  have  much  chance 
to  spread  here.  Gang-ploughs  are  at  work;  some  of 
them  are  driven  by  steam,  and  others  by  six  and  eight 


BOSTON  TO   SAN  FRANCISCO.  43 

horses.  After  the  wheat  is  sown  and  up  a  few  inches 
the  farmers  let  their  herds  feed  upon  the  fields  for  a 
time,  and  then  after  the  harvest  the  cattle  graze  the 
stubble  as  long  as  they  can,  and  finally  are  brought  to 
the  heaps  of  straw  left  from  the  threshing.  This  ap- 
pears to  be  rather  hard  fare  for  stock,  to  those  ac- 
quainted with  the  green  pastures  of  Maine  and  Vermont. 
There  must  be  a  deal  of  silica  in  the  beef  raised  in  this 
land. 

At  mid-afternoon  the  train  rolls  into  the  city  of 
Sacramento.  The  depot  is  spacious.  From  the  differ- 
ent trains  and  the  multitudes  of  people  moving  about, 
it  is  apparent  this  is  an  important  railroad-centre.  The 
bustle  and  commotion  are  greater  than  in  Chicago  or 
New  York  City.  A  surprising  noise  is  made  for  a 
young  city  of  only  twenty  thousand  inhabitants.  But 
the  fact  of  its  being  in  California  removes  all  mysteries. 
Probably  there  is  as  much  gold  displayed  in  the  watch- 
chains  as  could  be  found  in  all  the  Empire  State. 
Even  a  glimpse  at  some  of  the  hotels  and  private  houses 
demonstrates  the  fact  that  this  city  is  bound  to  do  great 
things.  With  grace  it  can  afford  to  be  the  capital  of 
the  State.  It  stands  on  the  banks  of  the  Sacramento 
River,  which  is  about  the  size  of  the  Connecticut ;  osier- 
bushes,  poplars,  and  cottonwoods  hedge  the  stream. 
The  citizens  delight  to  speak  of  their  city  as  possessing 
the  best  school  and  church  privileges.  They  extol  the 
climate  and  the  great  natural  advantages. 

Now,  as  the  train  pushes  on,  it  is  through  a  level 
country.  At  this  season  scarcely  any  green  thing  is  to 
be  seen.  The  Eastern  tourist  can  but  marvel  as  to  how 


44  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

the  stock  can  subsist  on  the  dried  stubble.  But  the 
Californian  says  there  is  much  nourishment  stored  up 
in  the  crisp  grass.  So  the  New-Englander  might  assert 
that  there  is  much  nutriment  packed  away  in  the  dead- 
ripe  June  grass,  and  so  completely  hoarded  that  the 
cattle  can  never  find  it. 

But  few  trees  of  any  kind  are  to  be  seen,  and  the 
question  presses  itself,  Where  are  the  four  million  fruit- 
trees,  the  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  nut-trees, 
and  the  twenty  millions  of  vines  which  are  said  to  be 
growing  in  the  land?  The  most  common  tree  is  the 
eucalyptus,  which  is  not  indigenous  and  is  not  proving 
a  success.  The  fields  are  being  sown  with  cereals  each 
year,  without  putting  any  compost  upon  the  ground. 
What  will  be  the  result  of  such  cultivation  in  the  course 
of  a  quarter  of  a  century?  Why,  these  acres  will  be  like 
those  of  Virginia,  whose  vitality  has  been  destroyed  by 
raising  tobacco  without  manuring  the  soil.  It  would 
seem  that  the  present  generation  has  little  thought  or 
care  for  the  future  occupant. 

Our  course  now  bears  to  the  eastward.  Ranches  and 
farms  are  on  every  hand.  Occasionally  Australian 
cedars  and  Mexican  cypresses  are  discovered.  The 
people  appear  to  be  in  a  desperate  hurry.  At  the 
restaurants  they  eat  as  if  afraid  of  losing  their  life. 
The  houses  are  usually  small,  and  look  as  though  they 
had  not  come  to  stay.  In  the  distance  mountains  upon 
mountains  loom  up.  Evidently  this  valley-plain  was 
once  the  bed  of  a  vast  lake  or  a  bay  of  the  ocean.  At 
nightfall  we  are  again  in  the  foot-hills  of  the  Sierra 
Nevadas,  far  to  the  south.  Sleep  under  the  stars  here 


BOSTON  TO   SAN   FRANCISCOc  45 

is  sweet ;  the  aurora  of  the  new  day  is  brilliant,  and  as 
the  sun  rolls  up  over  the  mountains  it  scarfs  the  whole 
country  with  fairness. 

The  cars  are  left,  and  we  are  now  riding  in  a  coach 
for  the  day.  It  is  pleasant  to  find  the  road-bed  so 
smooth,  as  it  rises  and  falls.  We  are  soon  among  oaks 
and  vegetation  similar  to  that  of  the  Atlantic  States. 
Of  course,  new  species  of  flora  keep  coming  to  view. 
The  blossoms  are  of  the  liveliest  hues ;  yes,  many  of 
them  are  of  dazzling  beauty.  But  what  surprises  us 
most  are  the  broad  areas  of  wild  oats.  The  cultivated 
oats  strikingly  resemble  these.  The  books  have  stated 
that  oats  originated  in  foreign  lands ;  but  the  facts  prove 
the  contrary.  Frequent  flocks  of  quail  fly  across  the 
road.  The  sportsmen  aboard  can  scarcely  keep  their 
seats  as  these  birds  whir  about.  A  few  miles  on  and 
the  landscape  is  made  up  of  billowy  hillocks,  crumpled 
mountains,  extended  forests,  and  cloud-patches.  The 
views  are  incessantly  changing.  Certainly  this  is  a 
romantic  ride.  You  can  experience  nothing  surpassing 
it  in  going  over  any  of  the  Alpine  passes.  The  slopes 
of  hills  and  mountains  all  along  show  the  effects  of 
prospecting  for  gold  and  silver.  One  rich  mine  is 
passed  that  has  be'en  worked  for  many  year's.  A  large 
village  has  sprung  up  by  it,  whose  inhabitants  represent 
numerous  nationalities.  It  is  surprising  how  gold  will 
draw  human  beings  from  the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
earth.  As  the  thickly  timbered  lands  are  reached,  a 
sluiceway  is  discovered  which  extends  from  far  up  on 
the  mountains  forty  miles  down  to  the  plain  and  the 
railroad.  Indeed,  it  was  no  small  job  to  construct  out 


46  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

of  lumber  that  water-course  which  runs  boards  and 
plank  from  the  mountain  top  twoscore  miles  into  the 
valley.  It  is  said  to  have  cost  two  hundred  thousand 
dollars.  However,  the  water  running  in  it  serves  not 
only  to  float  lumber,  but  is  used  for  irrigation  in  the 
lowlands. 

We  stop  in  a  romantic  spot  for  dinner.  The  young 
man  and  wife  from  the  East,  in  charge  of  the  hotel,  are 
enthusiastic  over  the  country.  They  furnish  for  one 
dollar  each  an  excellent  meal.  Near  this  house  is  a 
sulphur  spring  which  will  draw  the  multitudes,  if  ex- 
tolling its  properties  will  accomplish  such  a  result. 
The  road  onward  ascends,  zigzags,  and  twists  along  the 
mountains.  The  barometer  now  indicates  five  thousand 
feet  above  the  sea,  and,  before  long,  six  thousand  feet. 
The  way  is  now  among  sugar  pines  and  cedars,  some  of 
them  two  feet,  three  feet,  and  five  feet  in  diameter,  and 
from  a  hundred  to  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  high. 
Cattle  are  ranging  through  these  forests  as  though  they 
had  no  abiding-place.  The  road  keeps  breaking  out 
over  brinks  a  thousand,  two  thousand  feet  or  more, 
down  into  gulches,  or  valleys.  This  experience  is 
exciting,  and,  at  times,  most  thrilling.  At  length  the 
height  of  this  day's  journey  is  gained,  and  we  take  a 
backward  look.  It  is  one  far-reaching  sweep  of  forest 
upon  forest,  peak  upon  peak ;  and  as  the  glass  is  placed 
to  the  eye  we  can  see  two  little  homes  away  down  in 
the  mighty  forests.  Why  should  people  settle  there, 
and  how  dare  they  ?  Bears  and  wolves  haunt  these 
woods. 

Now  we  are  descending,  still  encompassed  by  a  dense 


BOSTON  TO   SAN   FRANCISCO.  47 

forest  of  magnificent  trees.  It  is  surprising  that  so  good 
a  stage-road  could  have  been  built  over  such  heights 
and  down  such  declivities !  Just  now  we  are  passing 
a  shanty  where  a  squatter  has  settled,  thinking  he  will 
remain  here  till  he  shall  get  possession  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  this  timber  land.  The  husband  and 
wife  must  have  some  grit,  and  expect  a  long  life,  to 
hazard  such  an  undertaking.  A  few  miles  on  and  we 
come  to  another  settlement  where  an  old  bachelor  has 
lived  for  twenty  years.  He  has  cleared  a  small  piece 
of  land,  which  is  yielding  a  harvest  of  corn  and  potatoes. 
His  single-blessedness  must  be  quiet,  except  when  the 
wind  blows  and  the  trees  creak,  groan,  and  fall.  The 
day  is  nearly  gone  as  the  coach  and  four  whirl  out  into 
the  vale  of  Mariposa  and  into  the  small  village  of 
Wawona.  Soon  we  are  ushered  into  Washburn's  hotel, 
new  and  clean  from  top  to  bottom. 

The  day  has  been  one  of  exciting  experience.  None 
having  enjoyed  it  would  sell  it  for  gold  or  rubies.  We 
go  upon  the  balcony  just  as  the  sun  is  gilding  the  tips 
of  the  mountains,  eight  and  nine  thousand  feet  high. 
One  sweep  of  the  eye  shows  this  to  be  a  lovely  valley, 
encompassed  by  grand  bulwarks  of  granite  and  mag- 
nificent forests.  A  river  flows  through  it,  bordered 
with  greenest  meadows.  To  the  rear  of  the  hotel  is 
a  small  lake,  and,  in  front,  an  inviting  lawn.  New- 
Englanders  are  made  to  feel  at  home  at  once,  for  the 
house  is  under  the  management  of  brothers  reared  in 
southern  Vermont.  The  fare  and  service  are  just  suited 
to  the  wants  of  tourists. 

As   night   comes   there   appears  to  be  only  a  patch 


48  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

of  sky  overhead,  which  sparkles  and  glows  thickly  with 
stars.  Though  in  a  deep  valley,  yet  we  are  four  thou- 
sand feet  above  the  sea.  Wawona  is  a  gem  of  a  valley 
in  God's  own  setting. 

As  the  morrow  hastens  on,  the  course  is  to  the  south- 
ward, and  upward  for  seven  miles,  through  the  sub- 
limest  forest  on  the  globe,  to  Mariposa,  the  home  of 
the  Big  Trees.  We  are  more  than  two  thousand  feet 
higher  than  at  Wawona,  riding  among  the  Sequoias,  or 
the  great  Redwood  trees.  These  are  giants,  surely,  of 
their  kind.  They  number  four  hundred,  and  are  the 
largest  of  any  scattered  along  this  mountain  range.  It 
is  well  the  Government  has  set  apart  some  two  miles 
square,  including  these  monsters,  for  a  National  Park. 
The  largest  tree  is  thirty-four  feet  in  diameter  near  the 
ground,  and  nearly  three  hundred  feet  high.  The 
coach  and  four  horses  pass  through  the  butt  of  one, 
and  there  is  considerable  margin  still  to  spare.  A  host 
might  find  shelter  in  the  base  of  another.  These  trees 
are  verily  stupendous.  They  are  said  to  be  a  species 
allied  to  fossil  trees  found  in  the  miocene  beds  in  high 
latitudes,  and  are  believed  to  have  been  left  unharmed 
during  the  glacial  period,  because  so  elevated.  Judg- 
ing from  their  concentric  circles,  some  of  them  have 
been  growing  more  than  six  thousand  years.  So  these 
are  the  most  aged  sentinels  of  the  world's  living  flora. 

It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  these  Sequoias,  or  Red- 
wood trees,  occupy  only  those  spots  in  the  Sierras  and 
Coast  Range  which  were  first  laid  bare  when  their  icy 
mantles  became  broken  up  into  isolated  glaciers.  They 
therefore  dot  the  Sierras  for  some  two  hundred  miles, 


BOSTON  TO   SAN   FRANCISCO.  49 

and  the  Coast  Range  for  nearly  five  hundred  miles ; 
but  as  we  go  northward  the  trees  diminish  in  size.  It 
is  believed  that  these,  since  the  glacial  epoch,  have 
never  been  more  widely  distributed.  It  looks  now  as 
though  the  time  was  not  far  distant  when  fire  and  saw 

o 

would  demolish  them  altogether.  It  is  true,  as  already 
stated,  the  State  has  done  something  toward  protect- 
ing those  at  Mariposa;  nevertheless,  the  sawmill  is 
cutting  out  lumber  but  a  short  distance  from  them, 
and  there  is  no  authorized  guardsman  to  protect  them. 
The  wood  of  these  trees  is  very  durable  and  handsome 
when  polished.  A  few  trees  that  have  long,  been 
felled  show  no  signs  of  decay.  The  Big  Tree  which 
fell  in  1875,  girting  sixty-nine  feet  inside  the  bark, 
exhibits  no  marks  of  rot;  and  one  that  has  been 
prostrate  much  longer,  whose  girth  is  one  hundred  and 
seven  feet,  is  perfectly  sound.  So  the  woodmen  seem 
bound  to  capture  all  the  manageable  trees ;  and  besides 
this,  the  sheep-farmers  who  fire  the  herbage  to  improve 
the  grazing,  and  whose  flocks  of  tens  of  thousands  of 
sheep  devour  every  green  thing,  are  certain  to  destroy 
the  seedlings,  and  thus  prevent  any  new  growth.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  sentence  is  pronounced  upon  this  noble 
coniferous  race,  "  Thus  far  shalt  thou  go  and  no  far- 
ther ;  "  and  possibly  before  a  century  shall  have  passed, 
it  will  be  said  of  it,  "  The  place  which  knew  it  shall 
know  it  no  more." 

From  the  valley  of  Wawona  to  the  Yosemite  is 
twenty-six  miles,  over  one  of  the  grandest  mountain 
passes  of  the  world.  The  views  along  the  route  are 
beyond  description.  The  Simplon  Pass  or  the  St. 


5O  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

Gothard,  in  Switzerland,  do  not  outvie  this  in  pictu- 
resqueness  or  engineering.  As  you  descend  into  the 
Yosemite,  if  you  have  been  in  the  Highlands  of  Scot- 
land, or  scaled  the  summit  of  Olympus,  or  crossed 
over  snowy  Hermon,  or  been  through  the  Iron  Gates 
of  the  Danube,  you  are  prepared  to  say,  as  you  see 
vertical  cliffs  of  solid  granite  half  a  mile  high,  waterfalls 
two  thousand  feet  above  your  head,  —  as  you  take  it 
all  in,  it  is  too  mighty  to  be  pictured  in  words.  Within 
a  radius  of  ten  miles  it  has  more  grandeur,  sublimity, 
and  surprising  vastness  to  offer  the  beholder,  —  so  con- 
fessed by  the  experienced,  —  than  any  other  portion  of 
the  globe  of  many  times  its  area.  This  is  the  Yosemite 
Valley,  some  two  miles  in  width  and  ten  in  length.  As 
you  inspect  the  Captain,  Bridal  Veil,  the  Virgin's  Tears, 
the  Great  Dome,  Mirror  Lake,  and  Glacier  Point,  you 
can  but  feel  like  keeping  silence,  saying  in  your  inner- 
most heart,  "  This  is  thy  work,  O  God,  without  any  help 
of  man  !  Thou  art  the  greatest  of  all,  and  this  is  thy  stu- 
pendous creation !  "  Let  one  look  upon  all  this  from 
below  or  from  above,  and  if  he  has  scanned  the  Pyra- 
mids of  the  Nile,  the  Hundred-Gated  Thebes,  the  ruins 
of  Baalbec,  the  wastes  of  Babylon,  Nineveh,  and  Per- 
sepolis,  how  insignificant  are  all  these  to  the  Yosemite ! 
It  has  no  parallel !  It  is  tremendously  romantic  and 
sublimely  captivating!  As  the  tourist  looks  and  looks 
and  meditates,  he  concludes  that  the  Almighty  alone 
lifted  up  these  huge  masses  arid1  mountains  of  rock,  and 
dropped  back  a  section,  leaving  the  frowning  breast- 
works on  either  side  of  the  yawning  gulf;  then  through 
the  glacial  period  rounded  and  smoothed,  and  has  been 


BOSTON  TO   SAN  FRANCISCO.  51 

finishing  the  exalted  work,  that  his  children  might  wit- 
ness and  admire  it  as  one  of  the  most  stupendous  ex- 
hibits on  the  face  of  the  earth.  It  is  a  thrilling  epic  of 
the  Almighty  in  stone ! 

Now  we  are  out  of  the  valleys,  down  from  the 
mountains,  and  across  the  plains  to  the  great  Western 
City.  As  the  bottom-lands  again  are  inspected,  and 
information  is  gained  of  the  late  harvests  of  cereals, 
grapes,  oranges,  olives,  apples,  pears,  melons,  and 
potatoes,  the  conclusion  is  that  California  has  surely 
become  the  cornucopia  of  America.  She  certainly  is 
vying  with  Spain  in  producing  raisins,  with  Italy  in 
yielding  oranges,  and  with  Asia  Minor  in  growing  olives. 
She  now  claims  the  largest  butter-dairy,  the  largest 
cheese-dairy,  the  largest  mining-ditch,  and  the  largest 
hotel  on  the  globe.  We  can  half  believe  the  Titans 
have  returned  to  the  earth  to  rule  here,  since  such 
mighty  things  are  being  accomplished.  The  droves  of 
horses  and  herds  of  cattle  feeding  on  the  ranches  are 
immense.  In  places  monstrous  fruits  are  on  exhibition. 
But  experience  has  taught  us  this  is  not  always  the  case. 
Really  California  is  a  State  of  striking  contrasts ;  it  has 
its  cots  and  palaces,  its  wealth  and  poverty,  its  sunshine 
and  storm.  It  is  given  to  ups  and  downs,  securities 
and  dangers,  successes  and  failures.  Possibly  because 
of  its  chances  and  contradictions,  it  is  all  the  more 
attractive  to  adventurers  who  delight  in  changing  for- 
tune. If  there  is  little  here  to  compare  in  antiquity 
with  the  Kitchen  Heaps  of  Denmark,  the  Lake-dwell- 
ings of  Switzerland,  the  mound  structures  of  Ohio,  or 
the  buried  cities  of  Egypt  and  Chaldaea,  still  he  will 


52  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

find  romance  here  as  he  meets  with  Indian  mounds  and 
mission  churches.  It  is  romantic,  indeed,  for  a  wild 
country  to  become  settled  and  civilized  on  the  basis  of 
perpetuity  during  the  life  of  a  single  generation,  enjoy- 
ing the  advantages  of  public  schools  and  colleges,  with 
a  brilliant  journalism,  an  extensive  commerce,  the  lead- 
ing mining  interests  of  the  world,  numerous  home  in- 
dustries, and  peopled  with  nearly  a  million  of  human 
souls.  Where  will  you  find  a  romance  of  old  like  this? 

As  the  train  nears  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  lo,  the 
burning  west !  Many  an  ark  of  gold  is  set  upon  the 
mountain  tops.  Echoes  from  the  Pacific  bear  peaceful 
news  as  the  waves  lave  the  shore.  'Who  knows  what 
fleets  have  sailed  over  these  waters,  though  history  tells 
of  no  Xerxes  or  Hannibal  leading  his  host  hither? 
Still,  in  spite  of  this,  these  waters  may  have  flashed  in 
the  long  ago  with  blade  and  spear,  and  these  shores 
rung  with  victory,  as  did  the  Plain  of  Marathon  or  the 
field  of  Waterloo. 

In  the  distance  ducks  are  dabbling  along  the  shore, 
herons  are  pacing  the  beach,  white  swans  are  floating 
far  out  to  sea,  and  gulls  are  cutting  innumerable 
cycloids.  Ships  are  in  sight  that  have  sailed  from 
Oregon,  Alaska,  Honolulu,  or  around  Cape  Horn.  For 
miles  and  miles  the  railroad  skirts  the  bay's  western 
shore.  The  hills  shut  off  the  sunset  view.  Soon  twi- 
light softens  the  brilliant  glow.  A  mist  broods  over 
the  Golden  City  in  the  distance.  The  train  slacks,  and 
"  Oakland  "  is  announced.  This  is  the  western  city  of 
schools.  The  State  University  is  in  its  suburb,  several 
young  ladies'  seminaries  and  a  normal  school  are  estab- 


BOSTON   TO    SAN   FRANCISCO.  53 

lished  here.  The  train  hurries  on  and  along  a  cause- 
way out  into  the  bay,  where  a  large  boat  is  waiting  to 
ferry  all  who  wish  across  to  the  great  city  of  the  Pacific 
Coast.  The  night  watches  are  now  being  set  thick  on 
high.  Before  five  miles  are  passed,  the  gas-jets  glimmer 
through  the  mist  and  smoke,  and  soon  the  electric  balls 
dispense  almost  the  light  of  day.  Tickets  are  taken  up  ; 
and  really  all  journeying  from  far  or  near,  as  the  boat  is 
moored,  are  ushered  into  a  city  unlike  any  other  in  the 
New  or  Old  World.  It  is  San  Francisco.  It  is  far  out 
West. 

It  is  a  fact  that  the  cities  which  have  attracted  most 
attention  and  been  most  admired,  have  occupied  pictur- 
esque and  romantic  sites.  What  would  Jerusalem  have 
been  without  her  valleys  and  mountains,  or  Athens 
without  her  Acropolis,  or  Rome  without  her  Seven 
Hills,  or  Naples  without  her  Bay  and  Vesuvius,  or  Edin- 
burgh without  Calton  Hill,  Castle  Mount,  and  Arthur's 
Seat?  Still  none  of  these  can  boast  of  a  hundred  hills 
over  which  the  city  is  spread  as  can  San  Francisco, 
situated  at  the  upper  end  of  a  peninsula  thirty  miles 
long  and  six  wide  at  its  terminus,  thrown  up  into  eleva- 
tions from  one  to  nine  hundred  feet  high.  To  the  north 
of  this  is  Golden  Gate,  through  which  the  Pacific  Ocean 
pours  water  sufficient  to  form  a  bay  of  six  hundred 
square  miles.  Upon  the  eastern  slope  of  this  peninsula, 
near  the  Golden  Gate,  stands  the  city  of  San  Francisco, 
with  a  population  of  nearly  four  hundred  thousand.  Its 
bay  is  a  little  Mediterranean,  shut  in  by  plains,  hills,  and 
cliffs.  The  city  is  an  anomaly  when  its  present  propor- 
tions are  considered  in  connection  with  the  fact  that  the 


54  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

first  Americans,  being  trappers,  came  here  in  1826,  and 
that  the  first  immigrants  coming  in  wagons  did  not  ar- 
rive till  1844,  and  that  California  was  not  admitted  into 
the  Union  as  a  State  until  1850.  As  it  is  studied,  with 
these  facts  in  view,  it  seems  like  a  mythical  city,  or  a 
legendary  metropolis  pictured  in  fairy  tales.  Neverthe- 
less, it  is  a  reality;  and  the  more  it  is  examined,  the 
more  it  is  to  be  wondered  at.  It  is  a  great  mart,  carry- 
ing on  traffic  with  all  parts  of  the  world  through  the 
means  of  railroads,  steamboats,  and  ships.  Its  streets 
run  nearly  parallel  with  the  cardinal  points.  Ride 
through  them  on  cable  tramways,  horse-cars,  or  private 
conveyance,  and  you  will  be  ready  to  admit  they  are 
model  highways.  Then,  as  you  scrutinize  the  public 
buildings  and  private  dwellings,  you  marvel  at  their 
massive  proportions,  the  fine  architecture,  and  the 
handsome  stone  and  brick  out  of  which  they  are 
constructed.  The  hotels  cannot  be  surpassed  in  size 
and  elegance.  The  mercantile  establishments  and 
banks,  the  City  Hall,  Exchange,  and  Mint,  are  on  a 
grand  scale.  Go  out  a  mile  from  the  centre  of  business, 
and  you  can  see  the  Crocker  mansion,  the  late  Mark 
Hopkins  dwelling,  and  the  Sandford  House.  It  is 
estimated  that  these  buildings  cost  six  million  dollars. 
Go  upon  Nob  Hill  in  the  evening,  and  a  greater  display 
of  lights  can  nowhere  else  be  seen.  The  electric 
burners  and  the  gas-jets  away  down  in  the  valley  and 
away  up  on  the  hills  and  far  aloft  on  the  heights,  and 
then,  a  little  higher,  the  stars  flaming  out,  present  a  most 
fascinating  picture.  Nothing  of  fabled  story  can  be 
half  so  beautiful. 


BOSTON  TO   SAN   FRANCISCO.  55 

All  through  the  day  the  thoroughfares  are  crowded 
with  people.  Ah,  how  intent  they  appear  to  be  !  The 
countenances  of  the  men  have  marks  of  anxiety  and  de- 
termination. It  is  rush  and  push  with  them.  You  soon 
become  impressed  with  the  feeling  that  they  are  here 
for  gain  and  are  bound  to  become  rich.  The  women 
look  healthy,  and  are  attired  as  though  silks  were  cheap 
or  gold  most  plentiful.  Of  course  there  are  all  grades 
of  humanity  here.  However,  there  are  to  be  seen  in 
public  places  but  few  who  are  very  poor.  Go  into  the 
hotels  and  restaurants  at  meal-time,  and  you  will  be 
convinced  that  the  San  Franciscans  live  by  eating.  In 
places  you  can  see  squashes  and  pumpkins  weighing 
two  hundred  pounds,  potatoes  that  girt  a  foot,  pears 
six  and  eight  inches  long,  and  clusters  of  grapes  that 
would  fill  a  quart  measure.  This  is  a  city  of  abundance 
and  fast  living.  There  is  more  of  the  material  than  the 
spiritual  here.  In  social  resorts  you  will  hear  oftener 
quotations  from  Dennis  Kearney  and  Karl  Max  than 
from  Whittier  or  Shakspeare.  Inspect  an  assembly  of 
a  few  hundred,  and  you  will  be  able  to  single  out  fif- 
teen or  twenty  varieties  of  nationality,  quite  unlike 
in  taste  and  appearance,  mental  and  moral  condition, 
but  a  unit  in  striving  for  lucre.  Some  who  were  re- 
ligious in  the  East  avow  themselves  infidels  and  atheists 
here.  Charles  Dickens  once  wrote  that  "  the  typical 
American  would  refuse  to  enter  heaven  if  he  could  not 
go  farther  west."  Possibly  this  statement  embodies  the 
reason  why  so  many  out  here  refuse  to  walk  as  of  old 
in  the  narrow  way.  But  the  indulgence  in  strong  drink, 
tobacco,  and  opium  is  decimating  strangely  at  times  the 


56  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

worshippers  of  mammon.  Go  to  the  cemeteries  and 
you  will  be  surprised  at  the  numbers  who  have  de- 
parted this  life  in  the  city  and  at  an  early  age,  —  the 
majority  before  they  reached  full  maturity.  It  is 
money  that  rules  here  at  present.  Gold  and  precious 
stones  are  conspicuous  in  chains,  rings,  and  bracelets. 
The  fifty  millionnaires  of  the  city  hold  sway,  not  be- 
cause of  moral  but  financial  worth.  The  natives  of  the 
country  are  usually  well  educated,  and  interested  more 
or  less  in  public  schools;  accordingly,  the  educa- 
tional advantages  are  excellent.  Large  sums  of  money 
have  been  invested  in  school  buildings,  apparatus,  and 
instruction.  The  people  believe  in  first-class  schools, 
and  some  of  them  in  first-class  churches.  It  is  a  little 
remarkable  that  there  should  be  more  church  edifices 
in  this  new  city  than  in  Paris,  France.  In  spite  of  the 
extreme  worldliness,  there  are  numerous  religious  organ- 
izations in  it.  No  doubt  the  Christian  work  going  on 
will,  in  due  time,  triumph  over  all  the  opposing  forces. 
If  ten  wise  men  can  save  a  city,  San  Francisco  will  be 
redeemed.  Society  is  not  fossilized  here  as  in  Europe. 
It  is  an  encouraging  truth  which  history  reveals,  that 
the  cultured  in  mind  and  heart  in  the  long  run  do  sur- 
vive the  ignorant  and  superstitious.  So,  as  this  West- 
ern civilization  is  examined,  and  as  it  often  happens, 
more  scum  than  salt  comes  to  the  surface ;  it  is  cheer- 
ing to  feel  that  the  leaven  of  Christianity  is  working,  and 
that  its  heat  is  destroying  the  chaff  in  order  to  nourish 
the  wheat  which  is  being  profusely  sown.  If  American 
freedom  was  born  a  pygmy,  it  has  grown  to  be  a  giant : 
and  thus  it  is  with  Christianity.  Since  Luther's  time  it 


BOSTON  TO   SAN   FRANCISCO.  57 

has  been  the  all-conquering  sword  of  the  Anglo-Saxon. 
It  has  already  made  its  moulding  influence  felt  to  the 
uttermost  parts  of  the  earth.  It  is  true  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  is  becoming  more  fully  developed  in  this  land 
than  he  ever  has  been  in  the  Old  Country.  Adam 
Smith  predicted  long  ago  that  the  empire  of  the  East 
was  to  be  transferred  to  the  Far  West.  This  idea  has 
burned  in  the  heart  of  the  nations  since  civilization  first 
blossomed  out  on  the  banks  of  the  Nile ;  and  a  universal 
feeling  must  have  its  source  in  God,  and  will  therefore 
gain  the  victory.  For  this  reason  there  is  decided  hope 
for  San  Francisco,  which  has  been  called  the  Godless 
City.  The  speculators  and  money-worshippers  are  pre- 
dicting that  in  the  course  of  a  quarter  of  a  century  it  is 
to  become  the  largest  city  of  the  world.  "  But  man 
proposes,  God  disposes;  "  so  man's  prophecies  and 
plans  may  fail ;  still,  it  is  certain  the  right  will  prevail 
in  the  end  and  afford  the  fullest  satisfaction. 

If  San  Francisco  has  been  denominated  the  treeless 
city,  it  is  far  from  being  flowerless.  The  beauty  of  the 
town,  so  far  as  vegetation  is  concerned,  is  in  its  brilliant 
blossoms  in  front-yards  and  gardens.  The  beds  of 
fuschias,  roses,  verbenas,  geraniums,  calla  lilies,  and  trop- 
ical plants  bloom  the  year  round.  So  the  soil  that  once 
produced  naught  but  sagebrush  and  scrub-oaks  is 
smiling  with  the  fairest  beauties  of  the  globe.  In  some 
parts  of  the  city  are  to  be  seen  the  eucalyptus  tree,  the 
Australian  acacia,  and  the  Monterey  cypress. 

This  city  has  several  libraries,  containing  in  all  more 
than  two  hundred  thousand  volumes.  If  the  best  of 
these  are  being  read,  they  will  introduce  into  this  com- 


58  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

munity  prophet  and  apostle,  sage  and  philosopher,  poet 
and  scholar ;  so  that  they  will  have  an  abode  here,  and 
will  become  known  and  loved  better  than  they  were  in 
their  own  cities  and  times.  Books  serve  to  keep  men 
alive.  Accordingly,  Socrates,  Saint  John,  and  Milton 
are  speaking  more  emphatically  than  they  did  when  in 
this  life.  They  now  go  whithersoever  they  are  bidden. 
Really,  what  companionship  the  lovers  of  books  enjoy ! 
The  city  cannot  become  truly  attractive  without  books. 

The  club-rooms  occupy  conspicuous  '  places  here, 
lending  their  influence  for  weal  or  woe.  It  is  to  be 
lamented  that  often  their  tendency  is  downward,  for 
they  sometimes  do  popularize  vice,  and  hence  draw 
from  the  home  and  the  Church.  Possibly  they  would 
not  have  had  an  existence  if  the  Church  had  provided 
innocent  pastimes,  as  it  ought  to  have  done.  The 
young  must  have  the  opportunity  of  laughing  and 
being  social,  and  if  they  cannot  be  thus  blessed  in  the 
home  and  the  religious  community,  they  are  bound 
to  have  it  elsewhere.  So  the  remedy  to  the  social 
wrongs  is  plain:  just  provide  them  in  the  proper 
places  and  at  the  proper  seasons,  and  the  wrong  will 
be  removed. 

The  journals  and  periodicals  of  San  Francisco  are 
decidedly  smart.  They  portray  surely  the  coloring  of 
the  West.  Their  word-painting  can  scarcely  be  equalled. 
If  the  Golden  City  is  not  the  greatest  on  the  globe,  and 
California  the  greatest  State  of  the  American  Republic, 
it  is  no  fault  of  the  press ;  for  it  iterates  and  reiterates 
that  California  has  the  largest  mines,  the  largest  farms, 
the  largest  trees ;  produces  the  largest  amount  of  wool, 


BOSTON  TO   SAN   FRANCISCO.  59 

of  raisins,  of  wine,  and  gold,  of  any  other  division  of  the 
earth.  Half  a  dozen  dailies  and  many  weeklies  are 
issued.  On  the  western  coast  of  our  country  there  are 
seven  hundred  printing  establishments,  and  more  than 
four  hundred  periodicals  published.  The  literary  busi- 
ness amounts  annually  to  three  and  a  half  million  dol- 
lars. The  people  believe  in  advertising.  The  daily 
papers  sell  for  five  cents  apiece.  In  fact,  you  will  see 
here  no  smaller  change  than  the  nickel. 

The  tourist  who  has  heard  so  much  for  the  past  few 
years  about  the  Chinamen,  but  has  seen  only  now  and 
then  one,  must  needs  visit  that  part  of  the  city  known 
as  Chinatown,  and  he  will  discover  stranger  things  than 
he  has  dreamed  of.  As  he  enters  it  the  houses  look 
very  odd,  and  the  people  appear  exceedingly  strange. 
He  finds  twenty-two  thousand  quartered  here.  The 
buildings  are  small  and  booth-like.  It  would  seem  as  if 
they  had  just  alighted  and  were  soon  to  fly  away.  The 
people  are  clad  in  thin  blue  cotton  frocks,  pouched 
trousers,  and  wooden  shoes.  Some  are  engaged  in 
manufacturing  cigars,  and  others  are  smoking  them; 
some  are  weaving  with  the  old-fashioned  loom ;  others 
are  mending  shoes  on  the  sidewalk;  others  trading  in 
a  small  way ;  and  others  are  lying  on  the  ground  sleep- 
ing off  the  effects  of  opium. 

Their  temples  dedicated  to  Buddhism  differ  but  slightly 
in  shape  from  the  houses,  having  some  tinselled  flum- 
mery over  the  balconies.  Within  the  church  you  find 
a  single  room  with  alcoves  on  the  sides,  where  in  one 
you  meet  with  the  image  of  Yum-Ten-Tin,  who  is  the 
god  of  the  waters,  and  receives  only  tea  as  an  offering ; 


60  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

in  another  niche  is  Rowan-Tal,  who  settles  all  dis- 
putes; in  another  nook  is  Nam-Hul-Hung-Shing- 
Tal,  who  is  the  god  of  fire  and  the  Southern  seas. 
They  offer  unto  him  meat,  grapes,  and  wine.  In  their 
service  they  are  lawless  and  noisy.  They  have  no 
Sabbath,  but  many  feast-days  on  which  they  give 
special  honor  to  their  gods.  Their  religion  has  little 
to  do  with  character,  or  with  improving  their  morals. 
If  they  can  gain  the  favor  of  the  gods,  this  satisfies 
them.  Such  a  religion  cannot  elevate  and  ennoble. 

San  Francisco  is  favored  with  many  outings  by  land 
and  water.  The  Golden  Gate  Park,  two  miles  from  the 
centre  of  the  city  to  the  north,  is  one  of  the  most  in- 
teresting. It  contains  an  area  of  a  thousand  acres, 
and  numerous  elevations  from  a  few  feet  to  a  thousand. 
It  is  tastefully  divided  by  drives  and  avenues.  Near 
the  main  entrance  are  beds  and  parterres  of  charming 
flowers  and  plants.  Lawns  of  the  greenest  grass  are 
now  common  where  but  a  few  years  since  there  was 
little  besides  barrenness.  Three  thousand  trees  have 
been  planted  within  the  grounds,  consisting  largely  of 
pines  and  cypresses.  The  influence  of  this  Park  must 
tend  to  refinement  and  a  growing  love  for  the  beautiful. 
Certainly  the  solitary  place  has  been  made  to  blossom 
like  the  rose. 

Another  resort  is  the  Presidio  Reserve,  embracing 
fifteen  acres,  and  set  aside  by  the  nation  as  military 
grounds.  It  fronts  the  Golden  Gate.  General  McDow- 
ell has  left  his  mark  here  in  the  way  of  constructing 
fine  roads  and  setting  out  trees. 

Not  far  from  these  grounds  is  the  Cliff  House,  which 


BOSTON  TO   SAN   FRANCISCO.  6l 

stands  upon  bluffs  close  upon  the  ocean.  It  is  a 
romantic  spot;  still,  its  chief  attraction  is  its  outlook 
upon  a  cluster  of  rocks  in  the  water,  where  the  sea-lions 
in  warm  weather  are  wont  to  sport.  The  Government 
protects  these  innocent  and  curious  creatures. 

Another  place  of  special  interest  in  the  city  is  the 
Woodward  Menagerie,  occupying  an  area  of  seven 
acres.  The  common  wild  animals  of  the  country  are 
to  be  seen  here.  In  it,  too,  is  an  aquarium  containing 
specimens  of  the  fish  of  this  coast. 

Besides  these  attractions  there  are  many  others  about 
San  Francisco.  Five  miles  to  the  south  is  Oakland, 
which  is  to  this  city  what  Brooklyn  is  to  New  York ; 
and  a  short  distance  to  the  east  from  Oakland  is 
Berkeley,  where  the  State  University  is  situated. 

The  more  San  Francisco  is  examined  the  more 
marvellous  it  becomes.  It  must  be  seen  to  be  known. 
Let  the  East  and  the  West  mingle  freely  together,  and 
this  will  result  in  levelling  society,  and  bringing  the 
masses  to  know  that  one  part  of  the  country  is  not  to 
be  built  up  at  the  expense  of  another,  but  that  each 
portion  is  essential  to  the  whole.  Then  the  youths  of 
the  Golden  Strand  will  not  ignore  the  fathers  of  the 
Sunrise  States,  nor  will  the  latter  frown  upon  the 
former,  but  there  will  be  real  union;  and  union  of 
hearts  and  hands  affords  the  greatest  human  strength. 
San  Francisco  needs  to  feel  more  and  more  the 
moral  and  spiritual  power  of  the  East;  and  both 
need  to  realize  that  our  country  is  to  prosper  only 
as  it  builds  upon  the  Everlasting  Rock.  Christianity 
«•  is  the  only  true  footing  for  the  East  and  the  West. 


62  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

Let  her  sceptre  hold  sway,  and  then  the  gold  and 
silver  of  the  land  will  help  build  up  character  by  fos- 
tering schools  and  Christian  churches,  and  thereby 
develop  the  highest  civilization  upon  the  face  of  the 
earth. 


CHAPTER  II. 

ACROSS  THE  PACIFIC. 

r  I  "'HE  nth  of  October  is  a  propitious  day.  The 
-••  sun  flames  out  purest  light  and  penetrating  heat 
in  the  Golden  City.  The  ozone  of  the  atmosphere 
is  stimulating  hearts,  and  firing  minds  with  earnest 
thoughts.  As  the  sun  crosses  the  noonday  line,  and 
shadows  begin  to  lengthen,  hacks  are  moving  out  from 
hotels,  and  busy  feet  are  pressing  stony  ways  towards 
the  wharf  where  lies  the  "  City  of  Sydney,"  the  steamer 
about  to  leave  for  Japan.  It  is  now  a  stirring  time  on 
the  wharf;  passengers  are  going  on  board  the  ship, 
friends  are  parting,  good-byes  are  being  spoken,  tears 
are  falling,  and  hearts  are  rejoicing  at  the  thought 
of  being  homeward-bound. 

At  two  o'clock  all  are  aboard,  —  officers,  passengers, 
and  freight.  The  bell  is  struck,  the  engine  begins  to 
move  and  puff,  the  wheel  rolls ;  the  ship  turns  out  care- 
fully from  its  moorings,  and  is  soon  ploughing  through 
the  bay.  On  the  left  sits,  upon  its  hundred  hills,  the 
city  which  has  surprised  the  whole  world  because  of 
its  rapid  development.  It  finds  no  parallel  in  all  the 
ages.  In  a  thousand  regards  it  is  unlike  any  other  city, 
modern  or  ancient.  Were  the  old  Chaldaeans  here, 
they  would  assert  "  it  had  been  built  by  the  gods,"  be- 
cause men  could  not  accomplish  so  much  in  so  brief 


64  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

a  period.  To  the  right  is  the  city  of  Oakland,  the 
Western  city  of  schools;  and  a  little  farther  east  is 
the  University  town.  As  the  eye  takes  in  the  aspect 
of  water,  hill,  plain,  and  .curious  things,  the  voyager 
through  sight  and  insight  must  be  thrilled  with  admi- 
ration. On  approaching  the  Golden  Gate,  steam  is 
turned  off,  anchors  are  dropped,  and  here  we  wait  for 
the  Pacific  mails.  All  kinds  of  crafts  from  all  ports  of 
the  earth  are  floating  in  the  bay.  Strong  bulwarks  are 
guarding  the  heights.  Gulls  are  cutting  circles,  and 
ducks  are  floating  on  the  waves.  The  rocks  on  the 
shores  are  bare,  and  the  turf  is  seared ;  still  there  is 
fascination  in  all  this  which  imparts  a  joy  to  the  waiting. 
Through  the  Gate  the  Pacific  Ocean  is  visible.  As  the 
sun  nears  the  sea,  the  sky  changes  from  silver  to  gold, 
and  then  to  amethyst  and  vermilion.  A  more  beautiful 
picture  was  never  painted.  Twilight  comes  reflecting 
the  glow  of  sky  and  water,  and  the  vast  space  above  is 
flecked  with  revolving  beacons,  and  gas-lights  flare  and 
electric  balls  flash  from  lowland  and  highland ;  this 
seems  like  a  poem  from  on  high,  sweeter  and  deeper 
than  any  mortal  bard  ever  sung.  It  is  as  music  from 
the  celestial  choir. 

At  ten  o'clock  the  news  from  afar  has  arrived.  An- 
chors are  once  more  lifted,  fires  are  renewed,  and 
shortly  we  are  going  through  the  Golden  Gate ;  and  lo  ! 
the  "  City  of  Sydney "  is  steaming  across  the  greatest 
ocean.  Looking  upon  the  glassy  surface  reflecting  the 
firmament  above,  we  feel  we  can  understand  why  Bal- 
boa, as  he  sailed  from  the  south  along  this  coast,  should 
have  christened  it  the  "  peaceful  water."  What  a  mys- 


ACROSS  THE  PACIFIC.  6$ 

tery  always  broods  over  the  restless  sea !  No  wonder 
the  ancient  Greek  philosopher,  -when  he  was  thinking 
the  best  he  could,  concluded  that  the  earth  was  flat  and 
girdled  by  an  immense  river,  and  that  it  rested  on  the 
shoulders  of  Atlas,  while  the  sky  was  supported  by 
the  pillars  of  Hercules ;  neither  is  it  strange  that  after- 
ward, in  the  midst  of  polytheism,  the  wisest  Greeks 
should  have  assigned  the  deep  waters  to  the  care  of 
Oceanus  and  his  three  thousand  nymphs.  But  now 
what  a  joy  to  feel,  since  science  has  helped  mind  far 
on,  the  fact  that  God  holds  the  deep  places  in  the  hol- 
low of  his  hand,  making  them  minister  to  the  needs  of 
his  children ! 

Now,  as  the  vessel  is  surveyed  somewhat  carefully,  it 
is  found  to  be  a  thing  of  grandeur  and  power.  It  is 
three  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet  long,  and  forty  wide. 
Its  ribs  and  sheathing  are  of  iron,  and  its  masts  of  lofty 
timbers.  Its  great  engines  keep  up  potent  and  steady 
strokes.  Fifty  tons  of  coal  do  the  furnaces  devour  each 
day,  and  therefore  ought,  in  spite  of  adverse  winds  and 
waves,  to  push  the  steamer  on  at  the  rate  of  three 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  a  day.  Descending  into  its 
depths,  one  is  quite  certain  to  be  surprised  at  the 
amount  of  room.  It  is  like  going  into  cellar  after  cellar, 
containing  fifteen  hundred  tons  of  iron,  cotton,  apples, 
butter,  cheese,  mercantile  and  mechanical  goods.  It 
has  also  eleven  thousand  tons  of  coal,  enough  to  take  it 
to  Hong  Kong  and  back  to  San  Francisco.  It  is  a 
steady-running  vessel,  with  comfortable  appointments. 
It  is  manned  by  a  hundred  and  nine  men.  The  captain 
is  a  Norwegian  by  descent,  but  educated  in  our  coun- 

5 


66  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

try.  He  is  a  compact  and  sturdy  man,  in  his  prime, 
of  active  temperament  and  commanding  mien.  He  at- 
tends to  his  own  business,  and  requires  those  under  him 
to  be  faithful  to  duty.  All  his  officers  are  to  be  re- 
spected, save  two  who  are  altogether  too  intimate  with 
some  foolish  young  women.  What  a  low  price  some 
put  upon  themselves,  and  what  a  failure  they  make  of 
life! 

While  on  this  noble  ship  it  is  interesting  to  recall  the 
past,  and  think  of  the  rude  floating  crafts  of  the  Phoe- 
nicians, the  Vikings,  and  the  ancient  Chinese.  We  can 
but  query  how  Vasco  da  Gama  ever  crossed  the  Indian 
Ocean,  or  Columbus  the  Atlantic,  in  unwieldy  ships. 
However,  it  is  evident  that  perfection  in  methods  of 
conveyance  has  not  yet  been  attained.  Who  dares  say 
that  the  air  will  not  be  successfully  navigated  within 
the  next  fifty  years?  That  would  not  be  any  more 
marvellous  than  many  things  which  have  been  achieved 
the  past  century.  The  sculptor  having  completed  a 
beautiful  statue  is  not  satisfied,  because  his  cultured 
ideal  presents  another  far  more  beautiful.  So  it  is  in 
this  life;  there  are  always  calls  ahead,  bidding  humanity 
go  forward.  Possibly  a  hundred  years  hence  the  liv- 
ing will  refer  to  our  present  achievements,  as  we  are 
accustomed  to  revert  to  the  stage-coach  and  the 
pannier. 

The  passengers  on  board  number  twenty-five  cabin 
and  four  hundred  and  twenty  steerage.  As  to  sex,  the 
cabin  passengers  are  about  equally  divided.  Among 
them  are  four  clergymen,  representing  the  old  and  new 
schools  of  theology ;  one  of  them  has  been  a  missionary 


ACROSS  THE   PACIFIC.  6/ 

for  years  in  China,  and  another  is  a  young  man  going 
out  as  a  missionary  to  Japan.  Could  we  analyze  the 
motives  of  those  on  board,  no  doubt  a  great  diversity 
would  be  discovered.  Some  would  be  thinking  most  of 
outward  gain,  and  others  of  spiritual  matters ;  some  are 
good  talkers,  and  others  good  listeners ;  some  are  joyous, 
and  others  sad;  one  is  a 'naval  officer  and  a  decided 
crank,  and  appears  as  though  he  felt  that  cloth  makes 
the  man.  Many  do  faithful  service  to  Neptune. 

What  a  wonder  the  ocean  is  as  you  watch  it  by  day 
and  by  night !  Could  you  descend  into  it  ten  thousand 
feet  and  look  upward,  stranger  things  would  be  discov- 
ered than  earth  or  sky  has  ever  revealed.  Composed 
as  the  water  is  of  molecules  which  are  never  at  rest, 
what  commotion  would  be  experienced  !  Besides,  there 
would  not  be  a  thimbleful  that  would  not  be  disturbed 
by  animated  life.  Monsters  and  mites  would  be  sport- 
ing according  to  natural  laws.  The  big  fish  would  be 
eating  up  the  little  ones.  The  survival  of  the  fittest 
would  be,  perchance,  fully  demonstrated.  Animal  ex- 
istence would  be  found  to  abound  in  the  sea  instead  of 
vegetable.  Let  the  monad  and  Leviathan  work  away, 
producing  the  useful  and  the  beautiful;  for  they  are 
sure  to  leave  behind  them  pearls,  corals,  and  islands. 

The  chemist  picks  the  particles  of  water  to  pieces, 
and  finds  them  holding  in  solution  silver,  gold,  and 
salts  which  are  washed  into  the  ocean  from  the  land,  as 
the  carbonic  acid  of  the  rain  and  snow  cut  them  free. 
How  fortunate  that  every  now  and  then  the  land  be- 
neath the  sea  is  raised  up !  By  this  interchange  the 
ground  is  kept  rich  and  beautiful,  that  man  may  live  on 


68  ROUND   THE  GLOBE. 

it  and  be  glad.  Then,  too,  it  is  interesting  to  know 
that  the  ratio  of  water  to  the  land  should  always  remain 
the  same,  being  three  times  as  much  of  the  former  as 
of  the  latter,  in  order  that  the  sun  may  dip  up  through 
evaporation  a  sufficiency  of  water  to  supply  through 
the  rainfall  the  demands  of  the  dry  land.  The  clouds 
are  inflated  balloons  to  bear  .moisture  over  the  earth. 
The  ocean  is  not  allowed  to  stagnate ;  accordingly  heat 
about  the  equator  is  constantly  sending  currents  to  the 
north,  and  the  cold  of  the  poles  is  continually  sending 
currents  to  the  south.  This,  together  with  the  fact  that 
the  atmosphere  is  incessantly  falling  behind  the  velocity 
of  the  earth,  keeps  our  atmosphere  in  perpetual  motion. 
It  fails  not  to  stimulate  all  organized  life. 

The  ocean  has  been  dredged  to  the  depth  of  four 
miles,  and  found  replete  with  animated  objects.  As  yet 
we  know  but  little  of  its  treasures.  We  do  not  under- 
stand really  whence  comes  its  color  of  blue,  green,  and 
black.  But  it  is  crowded  with  enchantments  and  bless- 
ings ;  for  this  reason  the  largest  cities  have  been  built 
upon  its  shores.  Human  beings  were  drawn  to  it  in 
the  rudest  stages  of  barbarism,  swimming  its  surface  in 
log  canoes ;  and  they  have  continued  to  improve  the 
boat,  as  civilization  has  advanced,  till  palatial  structures 
move  with  the  speed  of  the  wind  over  its  waters,  float- 
ing the  flags  of  every  nation.  If  the  ancient  Greeks  and 
Romans  felt  that  special  deities  presided  over  the  seas, 
we  can  rejoice  that  they  emphatically  express  to  the 
best  modern  life  the  wisdom  and  almightiness  of  one 
Ruler. 

The  nights  upon  the  ocean  differ  from  those  on  the 


ACROSS  THE   PACIFIC.  69 

land,  because  the  heavens  appear  to  bend  closer  to  it ; 
and  as  the  fields  of  ether  are  set  aglow  with  twinkling 
orbs,  looking  upon  the  water,  lo  !  what  countless  worlds 
are  in  the  depths  as  well  as  in  the  heights !  This  is 
new  experience,  to  quicken  you  in  inquiries  as  to  the 
multitude  of  worlds.  As  the  steamer  speeds  on  in  the 
calm,  it  is  significantly  still  as  you  stand  on  the  deck. 
There  is  no  dash  of  the  wave  nor  roar  of  the  water. 
This  is  a  sublime  solitude.  As  you  gaze  at  star  and 
planet,  you  can  but  ask,  Are  they  not  peopled  with 
sentient  beings?  Who  knows  but  their  inhabitants  are 
so  constituted  as  to  look  upon  our  globe  and  behold 
what  is  transpiring?  Possibly  some  of  them  are  so  far 
off  that  the  dwellers  have  not  seen  the  earth,  because  it 
has  not  existed  long  enough  for  its  reflected  light  to 
reach  them ;  or  possibly  some  with  senses  sufficiently 
acute  are  looking  at  it  as  it  was  expressing  its  first  life 
in  the  form  of  lichens  and  monads;  or  perhaps  they 
see  it  when  producing  the  huge  rhododendrons  and 
gigantic  mastodons ;  or,  peradventure,  they  are  viewing 
Adam  and  Eve  dressing  the  Garden  of  Eden,  or  Moses 
delivering  the  Law  to  the  Israelites,  or  Homer  singing 
his  Iliad  from  village  to  village,  or  Jesus  delivering 
his  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  or  Fulton  driving  the  first 
steamboat  up  the  Hudson,  or  Morse  telegraphing  his 
first  message,  or  Dolbear  talking  with  friends  far  off 
through  strands  of  wire,  or  Edison  experimenting  with 
his  phonograph.  Indeed,  "the  heavens  declare  the 
glory  of  God  "  on  land  and  sea ! 

We  are  now  within  five  hundred  miles  of  Japan.     No 
striking  incident  or  accident  has  occurred  thus  far  on 


70  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

the  voyage,  which  promises  to  be  the  quickest  one  ever 
made  from  America  to  the  realm  of  the  Mikado.  On 
the  Sabbaths  there  have  been  religious  services  carried 
on  by  the  cabin  passengers ;  also  two  evening  lectures 
have  been  given  on  foreign  travels.  Some  of  the  pas- 
sengers have  done  quite  a  deal  of  reading  out  of  books 
furnished  by  themselves ;  for  the  steamer  has  no  library, 
which  is  a  sad  mistake  in  this  age  of  cheap  books. 
This  line  of  steamers  can  ill  afford  to  neglect  to  do  what 
is  done  on  all  English  steamers  for  the  comfort  and 
improvement  of  passengers.  However,  as  it  is,  some 
have  been  able  to  become  more  familiar  with  David, 
Paul,  Whittier,  Wordsworth,  Emerson,  Carlyle,  Scott, 
and  other  authors.  Truly  books  are  the  mirrors  that 
reflect  the  images  of  souls  that  have  passed  on  into  the 
fadeless  light.  How  could  we  get  on  without  them? 
Faust  and  Gutenberg  did  inestimable  service  to  man- 
kind through  their  discovery  of  printing.  Now  those 
long  since  removed  from  the  earth  come  back  to  us 
in  thought  and  sentiment.  What  delights  they  proffer, 
and  how  they  lead  us  forward  into  higher  conditions ! 
As  the  warrior  clings  to  his  arms,  so  does  the  scholar 
to  his  books.  They  afford  him  the  best  things  in  the 
past,  and  give  him  the  brightest  hopes  of  the  future.  So 
none  should  start  on  a  journey  upon  land  or  sea  with- 
out taking  one  book,  or  more,  with  him,  in  order  that 
when  the  spare  moments  come  or  when  in  solitude,  he 
may  hold  converse  with  those  who  have  struggled  and 
triumphed. 

Thursday,  October  27,  has  been  a  peculiar  day.    The 
prevailing  winds  have  been  from  the  south.     The  sun 


ACROSS  THE   PACIFIC.  ?I 

by  spells  has  been  scorching  hot.  Toward  sunset  the 
waves  begin  to  swell  considerably,  driving  most  of  the 
cabin  passengers  into  Social  Hall.  The  barometer  for 
hours  has  indicated  that  a  storm  is  pending.  The  gong 
calls  to  dinner ;  most  of  the  passengers  respond.  As 
the  meal  is  finished  and  twilight  comes,  but  few  venture 
on  deck.  At  eight  o'clock,  or  a  little  past,  the  vessel  is 
struck  by  a  furious  gale  and  a  tremendous  wave.  Still, 
no  one  dreams  of  any  danger.  Nevertheless  the  vessel 
is  jerked  and  strangely  twisted  about.  But  there  is  no 
fear  experienced  as  yet,  for  all  have  confidence  in  the 
steamer  and  the  officers.  The  storm  increases  and 
rages  furiously.  It  does  seem  as  though  the  elements 
were  terribly  incensed,  and  having  broken  their  chains, 
were  bound  to  demolish  the  "  City  of  Sydney."  The 
wild,  seething  seas,  hissing  with  madness,  strike  the 
vessel  on  the  port  side,  and  then  as  quick  as  thought 
on  the  starboard  side,  breaking  through  wood,  glass,  and 
iron,  hurling  an  immense  volume  of  water  through  the 
dining-room,  cabins,  and  after-part  of  the  ship.  It  does 
appear  for  a  while  as  though  Neptune  had  gained  the 
victory.  The  boom  and  three  of  the  life-boats  are  gone. 
Chairs,  valises,  and  trunks  are  dashed  back  and  forth 
through  the  ship.  The  passengers  are  filled  with  fear- 
ful surprise;  still  most  of  them  are  strangely  calm; 
however,  a  few  faint,  and  others  are  painfully  distressed, 
believing  that  the  greatest  of  human  changes  has  come. 
All  hearts  are  subdued,  and  the  trusting  can  but  lift  up 
the  prayer,  "  Not  my  will,  but  thine,  O  God,  be  done !  " 
At  this  moment  a  maddening  sea  strikes  the  stern  of  the 
ship,  wrenching  off  bars  of  iron,  breaking  heavy  tim- 


?2  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

bers,  and  hurling  twenty  feet  of  the  ship,  including  the 
rudder,  wheel,  and  three  staterooms  into  the  sea,  at  the 
same  time  rolling  huge  waves  through  the  vessel  and 
into  the  fire-pit,  driving  the  tenders  from  the  furnaces. 
It  does  now  seem  as  though  surely  the  noble  steamer 
must  submit  and  sink  into  the  depths. 

Midnight  comes,  and  the  typhoon  still  hurls  venom 
and  destruction  at  the  masts,  the  remaining  life-boats, 
and  all  that  is  exposed.  Officers  stand  at  their  posts, 
bravely  facing  the  storm  and  imminent  danger,  bound 
to  be  at  the  post  of  duty  let  what  will,  come.  The 
captain,  like  the  bravest  of  the  old  Trojans,  faces  the 
enemy  and,  supported  by  his  noble  warriors,  withstands 
the  invasions,  wards  off  the  thrusts,  and  through  the  long 
hours  of  the  terrible  night  keeps  the  foe  at  bay.  As 
the  dawn  comes,  the  turbulent  waters  begin  to  retreat, 
bringing  relaxation  to  all  the  crew  and  passengers, 
who  have  been  strained  to  the  highest  tension  through 
the  long,  long  night  of  such  feeling,  such  thinking, 
such  doing ! 

With  the  new  day  come  joy  and  devoutest  thanks- 
givings to  Him  who  holds  the  seas,  in  calm  and  storm, 
in  the  hollow  of  his  hand,  though  confusion  and  waste 
hold  sway  in  hall,  cabin,  and  throughout  the  ship,  — 
yes,  and  such  confusion  everywhere,  except  in  mind  and 
heart !  for  all  are  ready  to  accept  conditions  just  as  they 
are.  It  does  appear  as  though  there  surely  has  been  a 
Divine  hand  directing  and  keeping  all  safe,  except  one 
sailor  who  was  swept  off  into  the  raging  sea  while  try- 
ing to  make  fast  some  of  the  rigging. 

Friday  is  a  stirring  day  on  the  ship.     Passengers  are 


ACROSS   THE   PACIFIC.  73 

searching  for  this  and  for  that.  Everything  is  dis- 
placed, so  far  as  they  are  concerned.  In  some  in- 
stances everything  is  gone,  beaten  into  pulp  or  washed 
overboard.  Still  no  one  is  disposed  to  complain  or 
find  fault. 

The  food  that  was  cooked  and  exposed,  was  de- 
stroyed. So  the  sealed  products  are  opened,  and  the 
cooking  is  extemporized  for  the  breakfast.  The  gong 
signals  the  call  at  the  usual  hour;  and  as  the  captain 
comes  in  to  the  table,  he  looks  to  the  passengers  like 
the  bravest  of  heroes.  Cheer  after  cheer  goes  up  in 
behalf  of  him  and  his  noble  supporters  who  had  guided 
the  "  City  of  Sydney  "  so  safely  through  the  terrific 
typhoon. 

On  Saturday  at  four  o'clock  the  stanch  vessel  is 
anchored  in  the  roadstead  of  Yokohama,  having  made 
one  of  the  quickest  passages  across  the  Pacific  Ocean. 
Henceforth  we  shall  be  ready  to  admit  that  this  ocean 
is  a  vast  body  of  water;  that  far  out  from  shore  it 
is  a  tremendous  solitude,  where  is  seen  no  manifestation 
of  life,  save  on  shipboard  and  what  is  expressed  at  inter- 
vals by  circling  gulls,  flying  fish,  and  Mother  Carey's 
tiny  chickens. 

What  rejoicing  is  experienced  as  land  is  sighted ! 
The  mountains,  hills,  plains,  and  woodlands  are  full  of 
enchantment.  Even  the  Chinamen  break  up  their  gam- 
bling squads,  and  rushing  upon  deck  throw  joss-paper 
into  the  sea  to  express  their  thankfulness  that  they 
have  arrived  so  far  safely  towards  their  native  land, 
where  they  prefer  to  live  and  are  exceedingly  anxious 
to  be  buried  when  they  die.  Ah !  the  dry  land  is 


74  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

made  for  man  to  live  on ;  yet  the  greatest  joy  of  all  is 
to  feel, — 

"  In  the  darkness  as  in  the  daylight, 

On  the  water  as  on  the  land, 
God's  eye  is  looking  on  us, 
And  beneath  us  is  his  hand." 

Anchors  have  made  fast  the  "  City  of  Sydney  "  in  the 
roadstead  of  Yohohama.  The  city  fringes  the  bay  and 
overtops  the  bluffs.  Really,  it  is  an  imposing  town, 
seen  in  the  distance.  The  bay  is  thickly  set  with 
steamers  and  sailing  craft.  In  the  distance  to  the 
west  is  Fujiyama,  towering  twelve  thousand  feet  above 
the  sea,  crowned  with  white  and  flanked  with  liveliest 
emerald.  The  slanting  sunlight  is  fashioning  beautiful 
pictures  on  every  hand.  Close  about  the  steamer  are 
dusky  faces  in  curious  boats,  all  ready  to  take  passen- 
gers ashore.  As  we  observe  their  peculiar  features,  we 
feel  these  are  kin  to  the  American  Indian.  The  com- 
plexion and  physique  are  strikingly  similar.  There  can 
be  but  little  doubt  that  they  both  originally  sprang 
from  the  same  stock.  Custom  officers  soon  put  in 
their  appearance,  and  an  American  missionary  comes 
on  board  to  greet  and  welcome  his  fellow-countrymen 
to  this  singular  land  which  rests  upon  the  bosom  of 
the  ocean  like  a  fallen  crescent  All  who  are  to  land 
are  soon  in  the  small  boats,  and  are  shortly  rowed 
ashore  to  the  custom-house.  For  an  hour  this  is  a 
stirring  and  trying  place ;  but  when  the  ordeal  is  over, 
it  does  not  seem  half  so  bad  as  it  was  imagined  to 
be.  But  here  we  are  on  terra  firma,  westward  bound, 
more  than  half  around  the  globe  from  Greenwich. 


ACROSS  THE  PACIFIC.  75 

What  if  we  did  drop  out  of  the  calendar,  as  we  crossed 
the  hundred  and  eightieth  degree  of  longitude,  a  day, 
because  of  an  hour  lost  during  each  fifteen  degrees 
passed  over !  It  will  come  all  right  again  on  reaching 
London. 


CHAPTER  III. 

JAPAN. 

HAVING  studied  and  examined  this  country  some- 
what, we  feel  ready  to  admit  that  it  is  peculiar. 
It  is  composed  of  thirty-eight  hundred  and  fifty  isl- 
ands, extending  from  the  thirty-first  to  the  fiftieth  de- 
gree of  north  latitude,  and  from  one  hundred  and 
twenty-eight  to  one  hundred  and  fifty-five  degrees  of 
east  longitude.  In  surface  it  exceeds  that  of  New  Eng- 
land and  the  Middle  States,  having  an  area  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  thousand  square  miles.  These  islands 
dot  the  bosom  of  the  Pacific  as  though  but  recently 
dropped  from  some  other  world.  From  Asia  they  are 
distant  from  fifty  to  a  thousand  miles.  It  seems  strange 
that  a  people  scattered  over  far-separated  lands  should 
be  grouped  together  as  a  nation ;  that  they  should  have 
a  history  reaching  farther  back  than  ancient  Rome  or 
Greece.  While  they  have  not  builded  tombs  and  tem- 
ples to  endure,  like  the  dwellers  on  the  Nile,  still  they 
have  held  together,  as  a  nation,  longer  than  did  the  old 
Egyptians  or  Chaldseans. 

As  we  examine  these  islands  they  remind  us  of  the 
crests  of  an  immense  submarine  mountain,  whose  alti- 
tude varies  from  a  hundred  to  twelve  thousand  feet. 
Fusiyama  rises  like  a  giant  warrior  above  all  the  other 
towering  heights,  swaying  his  sceptre  over  a  realm 


BRONZE  STATUE  OF  DAI  BUTSU,  OR  BUDDHA. 


JAPAN.  77 

entirely  bounded  by  water.  The  whole  country  is 
evidently  of  volcanic  origin.  The  summits  are  sharp, 
and  the  slopes  craggy  and  crimped.  Awful  and 
deadly  eruptions  are  frequent.  The  pages  of  history 
bear  frequent  accounts  of  outbursting  volcanoes  whose 
flames  and  red-hot  lava  have  caused  sweeping  destruc- 
tion. There  are  more  than  a  score  of  active  volcanoes 
now,  and  more  than  a  hundred  solfataras.  Scoria  ap- 
pears on  every  hand ;  hot  springs  are  common.  Sel- 
dom does  the  moon  wax  and  wane  without  this  land 
being  shaken  by  many  an  earthquake.  It  is  strangely 
diversified  by  elevations  and  depressions.  It  looks  as 
though  its  surface  had  not  been  long  above  the  sea; 
evidently  it  has  not  been  beneath  the  water  since  it  was 
lifted  up,  for  its  rocks  are  pointed  and  jagged,  its  coasts 
are  abrupt  and  shallow,  and  its  numerous  streams  are 
up  and  down  of  a  sudden. 

Its  climate  is  variable,  as  much  so  as  that  of  our 
Middle  States.  The  summer  in  the  south  is  subject  to 
extreme  heat,  while  in  the  north  the  winter  is  severely 
cold.  The  highlands  are  green  with  grass  or  white 
with  snow.  The  annual  rainfall  is  from  a  hundred  to 
a  hundred  and  forty  inches.  It  is  not  uncommon 
to  have  twenty-five  inches  of  rain  in  the  month  of 
September. 

The  soil  is  of  a  dark  color,  and  generally  deep  and 
rich ;  well  adapted  in  the  middle  and  southern  portions 
to  producing  rice,  tea,  mulberries,  wheat,  and  tobacco, 
and  in  the  higher  latitudes  maize,  potatoes,  beans,  bar- 
ley, and  oats. 

The  forests   remind   us   of  New   England    and   the 


78  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

Southern  States;  still  the  variety  of  deciduous  trees 
does  not  seem  to  be  so  great ;  however,  there  is  a  large 
number  that  are  used  for  lumber.  Many  of  the  pines 
and  cedars  are  gigantic,  resembling  those  of  the  Sierra 
Nevadas.  The  elms  grow  to  a  great  size,  and  are  very 
graceful  in  shape.  The  red  and  white  maples  don  a 
brilliant  foliage  in  the  autumn.  The  chestnut-trees 
remind  one  of  those  in  Spain.  Osiers  and  alders  are 
common  by  the  streams.  The  spice-tree  and  horse- 
chestnut  are  used  for  ornamental  purposes.  Sumachs, 
live-oaks,  beeches,  and  larches  are  quite  common;  and 
in  the  extreme  south  bamboos  flourish.  The  shrubs 
and  grasses  are  abundant  and  diversified,  but  berries 
are  not  so  plentiful  as  with  us.  The  native  apples  and 
pears  to  an  American  must  seem  unfit  to  eat;  the  skins 
are  like  leather,  and  the  flavor  is  far  from  pleasant. 
But  the  persimmons  are  most  delicious.  It  is  said 
that  the  fruit-trees  transferred  from  our  country  to 
Japan  are  doing  finely,  and  yield  good  and  abundant 
fruitage.  Thousands  of  these  trees  have  already  been 
transplanted,  and  thousands  more  will  be  within  the 
next  decade. 

In  going  through  the  fields  and  pastures  but  few 
cattle  and  horses  are  to  be  seen,  and  still  fewer  sheep 
and  goats.  It  is  said  that  the  latter  will  not  thrive  here ; 
but  judging  from  the  grass  and  climate,  it  appears  as 
though  this  must  be  a  mistake,  and  in  fact  it  is  being 
proved  so  at  the  State  farm  which  has  been  under  the 
charge  of  an  American.  The  horses  and  oxen  are  of 
an  inferior  order.  It  is  plain  that  the  people  have  not 
given  much  attention  to  stock-raising.  Dogs  and  cats 


JAPAN.  79 

are  numerous,  but  look  as  though  they  were  degen- 
erating. On  the  larger  islands  hares,  foxes,  deer,  wild 
hogs,  and  black  bears  are  frequently  seen.  Reptiles, 
if  they  exist,  are  sure  to  keep  out  of  sight,  but  insects 
and  vermin  are  numerous  'enough  to  make  up  for  all 
deficiencies. 

Small  birds  are  scarce,  especially  singing-birds.  The 
scream  of  the  falcon,  the  whistle  of  the  hawk,  and  the 
cawing  of  the  crow  are  to  be  heard  in  the  city  as  well 
as  in  the  country.  Large  flocks  of  ducks  and  wild 
geese  linger  about  the  shores.  Pheasants  and  wood- 
cocks whir  through  the  thickets.  Bees  cup  their  honey, 
ants  build  their  cones,  flies  swarm,  crickets  chirp,  and 
grasshoppers  send  forth  their  sharp  notes. 

The  common  minerals  are  trachyte,  basalt,  and  feld- 
spar. Porcelain  clay  is  piled  into  mountains;  varie- 
gated marbles  are  abundant;  coal  is  found  in  large 
quantities  on  some  of  the  islands ;  gold,  silver,  and  cop- 
per are  mined.  Precious  agates,  carnelians,  and  jaspers 
abound,  and  pearls  are  secured  about  the  coasts. 

In  the  lakes  salmon  sport;  at  seasons  the  brooks  are 
alive  with  trout,  and  the  seas  furnish  a  large  variety  of 
fish.  As  we  study  these  islands  we  marvel  how  they 
became  inhabited  by  human  beings  and  by  such  a 
multiplicity  of  living  objects. 

The  Japanese  delight  in  their  land,  and  call  it  Nip- 
pon, which  signifies  "  beautiful."  It  is  more  than  beau- 
tiful,—  it  is  picturesque  and  sublime.  Less  than  one 
tenth  of  it  is  cultivated,  or  can  be ;  yet  it  supports  thirty- 
nine  and  a  half  millions  of  people.  The  Japanese  are 
quite  unlike  any  other  nation.  Their  origin  is  lost  in 


8O  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

tradition.  Some  of  them  trace  their  pedigree  to  the 
Shu-dynasty,  eleven  hundred  and  twenty  years  before 
the  Christian  era;  and  still  others  trace  their  ancestry 
back  twenty- four  hundred  years  before  the  coming  of 
Christ.  It  is  supposed,  however,  that  they  are  the  off- 
shoots of  the  Mogul  Tartars,  and  so  are  the  descend- 
ants of  the  Turanians,  as  evidenced  by  their  broad 
skulls,  high  cheek-bones,  small  black  eyes  obliquely 
set,  and  their  yellow  complexion.  Furthermore,  their 
monosyllabic  words  point  to  these  ancient  people. 
Some  of  the  more  advanced  in  civilization  are  comely 
and  even  handsome.  Most  of  them  are  nimble  and 
smart,  being  small  and  slim  in  stature,  —  the  men 
averaging  five  and  a  third  feet  in  height,  and  the 
women  much  less. 

Their  dress  consists  of  loose  garments  of  silk  or  cot- 
ton. Men  of  rank  wear  petticoat  pants  and  flowing 
robes  fastened  by  a  belt,  to  which  are  attached  one  or 
two  swords.  The  common  people  wear  as  little  as  they 
can  and  protect  themselves.  The  men  have  the  front 
and  crown  of  their  heads  shaved,  leaving  tufts  on  the 
sides  and  back,  but  wear  no  hats  except  in  wet  weather. 
The  hair  of  the  women  is  allowed  to  grow,  but  is 
tastefully  arranged,  made  glossy  with  pomatum,  and 
adorned  with  all  the  gold,  silver,  and  precious  stones 
which  they  wear.  No  other  ladies  excel  the  Japanese 
in  neatness,  or  love  of  beauty  and  order.  The  maidens 
are  usually  bright,  intelligent,  modest,  and  self-reliant; 
still,  when  they  marry,  their  husbands  or  their  religion 
force  them  to  paint  their  teeth  black  and  their  lips  red, 
and  to  extract  their  eyebrows,  that  henceforth  they  may 


JAPAN.  8 1 

not  appear  beautiful  to  men.  No  doubt  the  husbands 
cherish  them  for  what  they  have  been. 

In  the  home  there  is  more  or  less  of  patriarchal  rule. 
The  husband  is  the  supreme  head.  The  wife  is  his  ser- 
vant, and  he  must  be  obeyed.  The  father  commands, 
and  the  children  submit  without  any  questioning  or 
hesitancy.  Even  if  he  bids  his  daughter  go  to  the  yo- 
shewara,  she  goes,  for  she  feels  she  must,  though  it  is 
usually  against  her  inclination.  So  the  father  often 
sells  the  character  of  his  daughter  for  a  few  months  or 
for  years  for  the  sake  of  mammon.  This  sinful  prac- 
tice is  allowed  without  any  scandal. 

The  original  inhabitants,  known  as  Ainos,  are  fast 
disappearing  before  the  trend  of  civilization.  Not  more 
than  twenty  thousand  remain,  and  most  of  these  occupy 
the  north  part  of  Hondo  and  Yeddo.  They  have  no 
alphabet,  no  writing,  and  no  numbers  above  one  thou- 
sand. They  certainly  do  not  excel  the  redmen  of  our 
far  West.  Their  tones  of  voice  are  rough,  and  their 
habits  uncouth.  If  the  more  advanced  Japanese  sprang 
from  such  stock,  they  must  have  started  on  the  upward 
track  a  long  time  ago  and  passed  through  astonishing 
evolutions ;  for  the  better  classes  are  quick  to  perceive, 
graceful  in  manners,  and  polite  in  social  life.  If  they 
do  sit  on  their  feet  when  resting,  they  do  not  appear 
awkward.  They  have  been  born  to  this  posture.  Then, 
too,  their  floors  are  usually  clean,  being  covered  with 
straw  or  paper  mats,  so  stuffed  as  to  be  two  or  three 
inches  thick.  On  these  they  sit  in  the  day  and  lie  at 
night.  Their  bed  consists  of  a  quilt  and  a  pillow,  which 
are  removed  in  the  morning  and  placed  in  a  closet. 

6 


82  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

The  size  of  the  room  is  estimated  from  the  number  of 
mats  on  the  floor.  These  mats  are  about  six  feet  long 
and  three  wide.  A  fair- sized  room  contains  four  of 
them,  and  a  large  one  six  or  more.  The  men  use  soft 
pillows,  but  the  women  prefer  blocks  of  wood  rounded 
out  so  as  to  fit  the  neck,  keeping  the  head  from  the 
flooring  and  mat,  thus  saving  them  much  time  and 
trouble  in  performing  their  toilet. 

The  houses  are  usually  constructed  of  wood,  and  the 
roofs  thatched  with  straw.  They  have  a  ground  floor, 
open  to  the  street,  with  a  low  top-story.  In  the  cities, 
where  some  of  the  buildings  are  made  of  brick,  they  are 
covered  with  tiling. 

A  few  of  the  modern  cities  are  quite  attractive  and 
interesting,  but  the  old  are  quaint  and  ugly ;  the  streets 
are  narrow  and  the  houses  huddled  together,  appearing 
from  a  distance  more  like  a  tented  field  than  a  perma- 
nent settlement. 

The  people  dwell  mostly  in  cities  and  villages.  They 
are  social,  witty,  and  mirthful.  Their  sports  and  plays 
are  simple  and  harmless.  They  are  fond  of  the  beau- 
tiful, but  their  moral  standard  inclines  somewhat  from 
the  perpendicular.  Every  nation  is  likely  to  be  made 
up  of  a  diversity  of  characters;  certainly  this  is  true 
of  Japan.  The  tourist  here  is  being  constantly  over- 
taken by  surprises.  Beauty  and  ugliness,  astuteness 
and  dulness,  honesty  and  fraud,  alertness  and  slowness, 
daring  and  cowardice,  care  and  negligence,  attractive- 
ness and  repugnance,  ambition  and  indifference,  follow 
one  another  in  quick  succession.  Experiences  in  the 
cities  and  country  will  prove  this  true. 


JAPAN.  83 

Yokohama  is  the  seaport  of  Japan  at  present.  This 
is  one  of  the  seven  cities  to  which  foreigners  are  ad- 
mitted without  any  special  permit.  But  if  they  desire 
to  go  beyond  the  limits  of  twenty-five  miles  from  these 
cities,  it  can  be  done  only  by  a  specific  grant  from 
State  authorities.  It  is  a  serious  question  among  the 
Japanese,  whether  or  not  it  is  for  their  interest  to 
allow  strangers  to  travel  in  their  country,  and  particu- 
larly to  settle  in  it.  So,  in  certain  localities,  tourists  do 
not  receive  any  public  ovations,  but  are  met  with  expres- 
sions of  dread  and,  possibly,  of  scorn.  Of  course  this  is 
the  outcome  of  ignorance  and  religious  superstition. 

Yokohama  occupies  a  favorable  site  for  a  commer- 
cial city.  Its  main  street,  public  buildings,  and  trading- 
houses  bend  close  around  Yeddo  Bay.  The  front  of 
the  town  is  the  newest,  wearing  an  aspect  of  advanced 
civilization.  Its  hotels,  club-houses,  photographic  gal- 
leries, and  consulate  buildings  are  first-class.  In  1853 
there  was  only  a  little  village  here  of  an  inferior  order, 
known  as  Kanagawa.  But  as  Commodore  Perry's  fleet 
steamed  into  the  harbor  in  1854,  making  this  a  free 
port,  opening  up  trade  between  this  country  and  the 
United  States,  and  with  other  countries  as  well,  new 
life  expressed  itself  at  once.  The  squatter  village  soon 
gave  place  to  structures  of  stone  and  brick.  Now  the 
streets  are  paved  and  curbed,  lighted  with  gas  and 
lined  with  telegraphic  wires.  Previous  to  the  incom- 
ing of  Perry's  fleet,  a  craft  driven  by  steam  had  never 
been  seen  in  this  harbor.  Now  nearly  all  the  latest 
improvements  of  the  age  are  in  this  city.  The  Bund, 
or  lowest  portion,  stands  on  a  plain  backed  by  bluffs, 


84  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

which  are  occupied  by  villas,  hospitals,  and  schools. 
Roads  zigzag  from  the  levels  to  these  heights  which 
overlook  the  bay  and  the  surrounding  country.  Every 
commercial  nation  is  represented  in  this  city  in  the  way 
of  banking  and  trade.  Much  foreign  capital  is  invested 
here.  No  doubt  the  rapid  growth  of  the  place  is 
largely  due  to  this  fact.  As  we  traverse  the  streets  we 
see  fine  stores  filled  with  wares,  silks,  curios;  and  fire- 
proof godowns  from  whose  windows  issues  the  aroma 
of  the  new  crop  of  tea.  It  is  reported  that  the  foreign 
population  of  Yokohama  must  be  more  than  two  thou- 
sand ;  so  it  is  really  a  cosmopolitan  city,  ranking  as 
third  in  the  Empire.  The  most  attractive  residences 
are  on  the  bluffs,  and  are  owned  by  Americans,  English- 
men, Germans,  and  French.  Many  of  these  dwellings 
are  embowered  in  azaleas,  camellias,  magnolias,  and 
flowering  shrubs  in  this  November  time.  The  leading 
culture,  thought,  and  manners  are  English;  the  press, 
the  bar,  and  the  church  are  monopolized  by  men  from 
the  West. 

Now  for  an  outing  to  one  of  the  old  capitals  of  the 
realm.  The  day  dawns  fair,  and  the  rising  sun  spreads 
charming  warmth  far  and  wide.  One  must  feel,  as  he 
looks  upon  the  smooth  bay  whitened  with  sails  from 
many  climes,  and  then  upon  the  new  city  and  its  envi- 
ronments, that  here  is  a  picture  which  can  but  delight 
the  most  fastidious  eye.  At  half-past  seven  the  cab 
of  this  country  is  at  the  door  of  the  Grand  Hotel.  Ah, 
this  is  a  funny  and  unique  vehicle !  Why,  it  is  an 
enlarged  baby-carriage,  or  a  greatly  diminished  old- 
fashioned  chaise !  In  the  thills  is  a  straight,  bare- 


JAPAN.  85 

headed,  slim-legged  Japanese  youth,  clothed  in  a  tight 
frock  whose  skirt  ends  some  distance  above  the  knees, 
and  whose  sleeves  are  as  roomy  as  any  worn  in  Queen 
Elizabeth's  time.  Well,  there  is  not  only  one  of  these 
jinrikishas  ready  to  take  you,  but  more  than  forty  of 
them  within  a  stone's-throw.  But  the  fares  are  fixed  by 
law;  so  there  is  no  bidding  as  to  rates,  each  must  take 
its  turn.  However,  there  are  different  classes,  and  so 
different  prices  according  to  the  finish.  It  is  evident,  as 
you  examine  the  painting  of  some  of  them,  that  there 
are  artists  in  these  lands  who  know  just  how  to  paint 
human  forms  and  faces,  to  adorn  with  lacquer-work,  and 
to  put  the  finest  gloss  upon  wood  and  paper.  You  are 
no  sooner  seated  in  your  novel  chaise  than  away  you 
go  with  the  speed  of  the  fleetest  horse.  These  jinriki- 
sha-men  aim  to  take  you  through  the  most  showy 
streets.  As  you  rush  on  you  catch  glimpses  of  gay 
windows,  blooming  gardens,  business-houses,  diminu- 
tive dwellings,  and  bon-bon  stalls.  It  is  surprising  to 
see  how  the  jinrikishas  are  dodging  about  in  all  direc- 
tions. In  a  short  space  of  time  you  are  whirled  a  mile 
away  to  the  depot.  A  host  of  these  curious  herdics  are 
here.  These  would-be  horses  are  jolly  fellows.  While 
they  are  waiting,  they  are  joking  and  laughing.  The 
cabmen  of  Ireland  are  surely  not  more  jocose. 

Here  at  the  station  order  and  politeness  prevail.  If 
a  Japanese  were  to  rob  you,  no  doubt  he  would  accost 
you  first  with  a  bow.  Soon  seated  in  the  car,  which 
is  of  English  style,  the  train  moves  westward.  The 
old  and  new  town  is  soon  left  behind.  The  native  pas- 
sengers act  as  though  they  had  not  yet  become  fairly 


86  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

accustomed  to  this  mode  of  travelling.  Men,  women, 
and  children  are  bareheaded,  except  those  of  the  higher 
classes,  who  have  compartments  by  themselves.  These 
have  adopted  the  Western  dress.  Still  the  coats  and 
pants  look  as  though  they  had  got  upon  the  wrong 
person,  for  they  are  either  too  large  or  too  small.  It 
is  no  trifling  matter  for  a  race  to  change  its  habits 
of  dress. 

The  suburbs  of  the  city  consist  of  little  shops  and 
houses,  whose  fronts  are  mostly  open  to  the  streets 
when  the  weather  is  fair,  affording  the  opportunity  to 
inspect  all  within.  Most  of  these  structures  are  made 
of  wood;  so  it  is  throughout  the  country.  Therefore 
it  is  not  strange  that  in  the  dry  seasons  destructive 
fires  should  prevail. 

Now  we  are  in  the  open  country,  which  is  full  of  ups 
and  downs,  indentations  and  projections.  On  the  one 
hand,  gulls  are  sailing  round  and  round,  and  on  the 
other  the  inevitable  crows  are  flapping  through  the  air 
and  cawing  just  as  they  do  in  America.  The  grass  is 
as  green  in  this  November  as  in  the  valley  of  the  Mo- 
hawk in  June.  As  the  road  strikes  inland,  there  is 
opened  up  a  succession  of  irregularities.  The  bottom- 
lands are  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  The  soil  is 
black  and  productive.  The  rice-fields  in  places  extend 
as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach.  These  are  ready  for  har- 
vest, and  the  reapers  here  and  there  are  thick  with  their 
sickles.  The  heads  of  the  rice  are  drooping,  as  though 
heavy  with  grain.  On  terraces  above  the  reach  of  run- 
ning water  are  patches  of  sweet  potatoes,  and  beds  of 
onions,  carrots,  and  radishes.  Still  higher  up  are  mul- 


JAPAN.  87 

berry  orchards  and  bamboo  groves ;  beyond  and  above 
these  are  clusters  of  pine,  beech,  maple,  chestnut,  su- 
mach, and  live-oak.  The  small  villages  by  the  way  are 
unique  with  their  thatched  roofs  and  grassy  crowns. 
The  men  in  the  fields  have  on  short  frocks,  and  in  some 
instances  hats  that  resemble  inverted  wooden  bowls. 
Their  extremities  are  nude,  but  the  women  at  work  with 
the  men  have  on  a  skirt  and  frock,  with  wooden  or  straw 
sandals  on  their  feet.  They  wear  no  bonnets,  but  their 
black  hair  glistens,  being  oiled  and  wadded  on  the  back 
of  the  head.  Most  of  the  mothers  on  the  street  and  in 
the  field  have  babies  banded  to  their  backs.  Few  are 
the  houses  passed  where  no  children  are  seen. 

Halting  at  a  station  for  half  an  hour,  just  take  a  walk 
along  the  principal  street  and  see  the  sights.  In  one 
house  you  behold  two  young  women  of  the  better  class, 
who  are  busily  engaged  in  dressing  each  other's  hair. 
One  is  seated  in  front  of  the  mirror,  and  the  other  is  at 
her  rear  with  comb  in  hand,  and  close  by  a  box  of 
knick-knacks  for  oiling,  pasting,  and  bathing,  and  paints 
for  the  face.  They  both  keep  looking  into  the  glass,  ap- 
parently with  greatest  admiration.  At  length  the  comb 
is  laid  aside  for  a  little  while,  and  very  small  brass-bowl 
pipes  are  lit  and  a  few  whiffs  are  taken  in  turn,  and  then 
they  resume  the  hair-dressing.  They  have  silk  gar- 
ments over  their  shoulders;  one  is  sitting  flat  on  the 
floor,  and  the  other  is  resting  on  her  knees.  The  floor 
is  polished,  and  partly  covered  with  straw  matting. 
The  furniture  seen  consists  simply  of  a  glass,  a  toilet- 
box,  and  a  small  table. 

Just  now  comes  along  a  two-wheeled  cart  loaded  with 


88  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

rice  in  bags  made  from  straw,  holding  two  bushels  each. 
It  would  seem  that  only  the  Japanese  can  make  such 
sacks.  A  woman  is  in  the  thills,  and  a  man  and  woman 
are  pushing  behind.  The  cart  is  loaded  with  thirty 
bags,  making  a  heavy  burden  for  the  three  who  have 
drawn  it  five  miles. 

But  here  comes  another  team,  consisting  of  a  driver,  a 
bullock,  and  a  cart  loaded  with  rice  ready  for  the 
market  The  man  has  on  a  red  cap,  a  blue  frock,  tight 
pants,  and  straw  sandals.  As  you  approach  him,  you 
see  that  he  walks  on  the  opposite  side  from  the  team- 
sters in  this  country,  holding  a  slack  line  attached  to  a 
ring  in  the  nose  of  his  animal.  No  whip  is  in  sight. 
The  bullock  is  not  large,  but  resembles  the  American 
ox  in  build  and  colof.  He  seems  docile  and  willing  to 
labor.  He  has  on  a  curious  harness  with  a  collar  bear- 
ing upon  the  top  of  his  neck,  to  which  are  fastened  the 
thills  of  the  cart.  The  wheels  are  large,  with  huge  fel- 
lies mortised  together,  so  as  to  require  no  band  of  iron, 
and  each  wheel  has  twenty-two  spokes  set  in  a  mon- 
strous hub.  The  body  is  made  of  two  six-inch  timbers, 
some  fourteen  feet  long,  tapering  from  the  middle, 
being  two  and  a  half  feet  apart.  It  is  painted  with 
variegated  colors.  The  driver  wears  a  mien  of  satis- 
faction, and  the  creature  appears  as  though  he  fared 
well.  Taking  the  whole  into  account,  you  are  forced 
to  admit  that  the  entire  turn-out  is  novel  and  pictur- 
esque indeed ! 

A  little  farther  on  and  you  come  to  another  home  in 
which  a  man  is  asleep  on  the  common  bed  (which  is  the 
floor),  with  his  head  resting  on  a  pillow  of  wood.  One 


JAPAN.  89 

hand  has  fallen  upon  the  sidewalk,  and  near  him  sits  a 
woman  embroidering  the  edge  of  a  red  silk  shawl.  In 
another  part  of  the  room  is  a  young  lady  with  a  pipe 
in  hand  and  a  bottle  of  sake  by  her  side.  This  is  un- 
questionably one  of  the  aristocratic  homes. 

As  you  move  on,  you  meet  an  old  woman  with  a 
bundle  of  brooms  on  her  shoulder,  a  package  of  fans  in 
her  hand,  and  about  forty  brushes  on  her  back.  She  is 
a  pedler,  with  straw  sandals  on  her  feet  and  a  blue 
cotton  frock  upon  her  body. 

Here  you  happen  upon  a  black-smithy  which  is  quite 
in  the  road.  The  smith  is  hammering  away  at  the  anvil 
while  sitting  on  the  ground.  As  he  inserts  his  rod  in 
the  fire  he  blows  up  the  flame  through  a  reed.  His 
nearest  neighbor  is  a  shoemaker,  whose  shop  is  the 
ditch,  and  whose  stock  is  not  leather  but  lumber.  He 
is  making  clog  sandals,  and  selling  them  for  five  sens,  or 
four  cents  a  pair.  The'  clog  is  attached  to  the  foot  by 
a  thong  of  straw  passing  between  the  toes  and  over  the 
front  of  the  foot.  A  Yankee  would  need  to  practise  a 
long  while  to  keep  one  on  his  foot  while  walking. 

About  this  time  the  road  has  become  filled  with 
mothers  and  older  sisters,  with  babies  slung  to  their 
backs,  who  are  anxious  to  see  the  stranger.  All  are 
very  courteous. 

Now  the  signal  sounds,  warning  the  passengers  that 
the  train  is  to  go  on.  Quickly  all  are  aboard,  and  in 
an  hour  Fugisawa  is  reached.  Here  you  leave  the  rail 
for  a  five  miles'  ride  in  a  jinrikisha.  A  bargain  is  soon 
struck  for  a  carriage  and  two  barelegged  and  bare- 
footed men  to  speed  it  on.  They  prove  themselves 


90  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

gallant  fellows,  whirling  the  pygmy  chaise  through  the 
sand,  over  the  pavements,  and  through  the  mud,  as  fast 
as  the  fleetest  horses  would  run.  The  road  is  narrow, 
and  the  road-bed  is  not  more  than  five  feet  wide.  The 
wheels  of  the  jinrikisha  are  only  some  three  feet  apart. 
The  way  is  through  a  broken  country.  The  flats  are 
waving  with  ripened  rice,  and  the  gardens  are  burdened 
with  a  variety  of  vegetables.  At  length  we  are  ascend- 
ing a  long  hill.  The  drawer  and  pusher  breathe  hard 
and  walk  fast.  By  the  roadside  are  blue  gentians, 
yellow  and  purple  asters,  periwinkles,  white  and  yellow 
chrysanthemums,  ferns,  violets,  tea-blossoms,  cotton- 
balls,  bushes,  shrubs,  and  trees,  resembling  those  in 
New  England.  As  the  summit  is  gained,  what  a  pros- 
pect over  land  and  sea!  Fusiyama  sways  his  sceptre 
over  all  the  region.  He  presents  a  magnificent  appear- 
ance, towering  aloft  more  than  twelve  thousand  feet, 
skirted  with  liveliest  green  and  crowned  with  snow. 
How  monotonous  and  impoverished  the  earth  would 
be  without  mountains !  It  seems  singular  that  no  cat- 
tle or  sheep  should  be  feeding  and  browsing  in  these 
pastures  about  us.  It  is  true  they  are  not  walled  or 
fenced  off,  but  the  feed  is  most  inviting.  But  why 
should  they  raise  stock?  The  Japanese  have  no  fond- 
ness for  milk,  butter,  cheese,  beef,  or  mutton.  It  is 
true  they  would  like  the  wool  to  weave  into  fabrics, 
but  they  fear  the  sheep  could  not  endure  this  climate ; 
still  the  State  farm  is  proving  this  to  be  a  mistake. 

Having  reached  the  highest  part  of  the  road,  you 
descend  a  long  way.  The  ledges  are  now  cropping 
out.  Trachyte  and  feldspathic  rock  are  plentiful.  Oc- 


JAPAN.  91 

casionally  are  to  be  seen  caverns  which  have  been  used 
for  religious  purposes,  as  is  manifest  by  the  carvings. 
All  of  a  sudden  the  jinrikisha  boys  cry  out,  "  Dai 
Butsu !  "  and  sure  enough,  among  the  evergreens  and 
lofty  trees,  in  a  lovely  cave,  towers  the  great  brazen 
image.  Dismounting,  you  pass  through  a  gate  and 
along  a  pathway  over  a  lawn  to  the  sitting  statue  of 
Buddha,  who  lived  six  centuries  before  the  Christian 
era  and  is  now  worshipped  by  one  third  of  the  human 
race.  The  face  wears  a  placid  expression,  as  though 
in  the  land  of  rest.  It  is  forty-nine  feet  high,  ninety- 
seven  feet  in  circumference  round  the  chest,  and  the 
measurement  round  the  thumb  is  three  feet.  The  eye- 
balls are  said  to  be  of  pure  gold.  Passing  within  and 
climbing  some  steps,  behold !  image  upon  image  of 
diminutive  deities,  in  glass  cases  and  behind  gilded 
curtains.  These  are  pointed  out  by  a  priest  as  repre- 
senting divine  personages.  In  fact,  they  are  awful-look- 
ing representations.  It  can  but  make  the  Christian 
heart  sad  to  see  priests  bowing  to  such  dumb  and 
distasteful  images.  Bits  of  paper  are  inscribed  with 
names  of  Buddhists  who  have  done  honor  to  Dai  Butsu 
or  some  of  the  minor  gods. 

The  huge  image  is  constructed  out  of  sheets  of 
bronze,  soldered  together  in  such  a  way  as  to  present 
most  finished  workmanship.  It  is  reported  to  have 
been  made  in  1250;  so  it  is  more  than  six  hundred 
years  old,  and  is  a  wonderful  piece  of  mechanism.  It 
was  formerly  covered  by  a  large  temple,  which  was 
destroyed  by  fire;  and  tradition  asserts  that  it  has 
been  disturbed  by  inundations  from  the  sea,  which  at 


92  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

present  is  two  miles  distant.     Measures  are  being  taken 
to  cover  the  statue  with  another  temple. 

The  scenery  around  this  place  is  wild,  resembling  the 
spots  and  groves  where  the  Grecian  gods  dwelt  and 
their  oracles  were  revealed.  As  you  study  the  effects 
of  Buddhism  in  Japan,  you  can  but  conclude  that  it  is 
a  kind  of  polytheism,  which,  perchance,  had  its  origin 
on  the  banks  of  the  Euphrates  and  Tigris  Rivers. 
Buddhism  was  introduced  to  this  land  through  Shinto- 
ism  from  Asia.  The  latter  came  from  the  West  to  the 
East  six  hundred  years  before  Christ,  and  contained  but 
little  in  its  philosophy  that  was  strictly  religious;  at 
least,  after  it  had  been  in  the  country  a  few  centuries,  it 
was  used  quite  exclusively  for  political  ends.  Under  its 
regime  the  people  became  worse  instead  of  better. 

Now,  Buddhism  in  Asia  was  a  pure  atheistic  humani- 
tarianism,  with  a  good  code  of  moral  philosophy.  It 
taught  that  the  souls  of  men  had  lived  previous  to  be- 
ing born  into  this  life,  and  that  all  their  ailments  and 
sufferings  were  owing  to  having  sinned  before  having 
had  anything  to  do  with  mortal  things.  It  declared 
that  the  soul  had  been  developed  through  endless 
evolutions  of  births,  pains,  and  deaths,  and  that  after 
passing  from  this  world  it  would  journey  through  dif- 
ferent stages,  and  if  devoted  wholly  to  good  works, 
would  finally  become  absorbed  into  Buddha;  otherwise 
it  would  wander  on,  sinning  and  being  tortured  through 
countless  ages,  until  it  would  be  absorbed  into  nothing- 
ness. In  either  case  it  is  virtually  annihilation,  or  at 
least  the  losing  of  soul  identity. 

Now,    this    religion  was   transferred    from    China   or 


JAPAN.  93 

Corea  by  a  company  of  devout  soothsayers,  astrologers, 
and  mathematicians.  It  would  appear  that  Shintoism 
was  ready  for  an  engraftment,  and  so  with  open  arms 
welcomed  these  incomers.  Temples  were  now  built, 
whereas  before  the  best  that  Shintoism  had  done  was 
to  worship  in  the  grove  or  pray  upon  the  hilltop.  The 
new  religion  through  its  display  captured  hearts.  It 
was  not  very  long  before  the  rulers  of  the  people  be- 
gan to  realize  that  it  would  be  for  their  advantage  to 
avail  themselves  of  its  influence,  and  accordingly  they 
adopted  it.  Monasteries  now  sprang  up  throughout 
the  land.  Even  the  religious  enthusiasm  was  kindled 
to  such  a  pitch  that  the  nobility  left  their  high  sta- 
tions to  become  monks  in  behalf  of  this  new  religion. 
In  the  thirteenth  century  the  Japanese  Luther,  Nichi- 
ren,  stepped  upon  the  Buddhist  stage.  He  was  a 
scholar,  and  thoroughly  imbued  with  this  new  faith. 
He  went  about  preaching  and  displaying  the  doc- 
trines of  Buddha  as  he  understood  them.  He  melted 
the  hearts  of  the  people,  and  set  them  to  work,  mul- 
tiplying shrines  and  temples.  Great  religions  were 
established,  and  Buddhism  flared  over  the  land  as 
never  hitherto,  and  protesting  Shintoists  were  soon 
brought  to  its  acceptance  and  devoted  themselves  to 
its  spread.  Candles  now  flamed  and  incense  smoked 
in  hosts  of  temples.  Pilgrimages  were  instituted  to 
sacred  shrines.  Buddha  had  become  the  god  of  Japan. 
Shinto-Buddhists  were  placed  in  the  highest  posi- 
tions, and  their  priests  were  held  in  highest  repute. 
Immense  wealth  was  invested  in  temples  and  pago- 
das. Dead  mikados  and  daimios  were  deified.  Their 


94  ROUND   THE  GLOBE. 

tombs  became  Meccas  to  which  the  people  were  wont 
to   flock. 

In  the  course  of  epochs  Buddhism  became  thor- 
oughly Japanized,  and  so  would  deify  and  worship  only 
Japanese  heroes.  This  selfish  narrowness  was  adverse 
to  further  progress,  and  served  to  cool  the  religious 
flame ;  so  that  at  length  only  defeated  soldiers,  poverty- 
stricken  orphans,  and  conscience-smitten  murderers 
flocked  to  its  wasting  altars.  Hence  for  the  last  two 
hundred  years  Buddhism  as  expressed  in  Japan  has 
been  on  the  wane.  It  is  not  the  religion  for  the  masses. 
Though  there  are  two  hundred  and  ninety-six  thou- 
sand nine  hundred  Buddhist  and  ninety-seven  Shintoist 
temples  in  the  Empire,  there  are  less  than  a  hundred 
thousand  priests  connected  with  them.  The  leading 
men  as  a  rule  do  not  go  near  the  places  of  worship  un- 
less they  have  been  disappointed  in  business,  or  are 
driving  some  sharp  scheme  which  they  fear  is  beyond 
their  strength,  and  then  they  superstitiously  enter  the 
temples,  hoping  to  gain  some  superior  power  and  thus 
realize  success.  The  women  are  more  devout  and 
more  ignorant.  They  have  been  degraded  through 
polygamy  and  brothel  experience  in  their  girlhood. 
Many  heads  of  families,  dwelling  under  the  shadow  of 
temples,  are  living  upon  the  revenue  accruing  from  the 
misuse  of  their  own  daughters.  Concubinage  is  pop- 
ular here,  in  the  hovel  and  in  the  palace.  It  is  stated 
that  the  priests  are  largely  committed  to  it.  This 
being  true,  let  them  read  their  Sutras  and  pray  as 
much  as  they  will,  their  cause  is  bound  to  fail.  "  The 
pure  in  heart "  alone  can  see  the  true  God,  and  be  led 


JAPAN.  95 

into  more  light.  Buddhism,  after  centuries  of  trial  in 
Japan,  is  proving  a  sad  failure. 

Bidding  adieu  to  the  image  of  Dai  Butsu,  and  seated 
again  in  the  jinrikisha,  we  hie  away  to  the  village  of 
Kamakura,  less  than  a  mile  distant.  By  the  way 
you  can  spy  caverns  where  rest  the  ashes  of  daimios 
and  famous  characters.  Along  the  road  men  and 
women  are  seen  digging  sweet  potatoes  and  harvesting 
garden-sauce.  *  The  village  is  soon  reached.  Certainly 
it  does  not  now  wear  the  appearance  of  beauty  and 
grandeur.  If  it  were  once  the  capital  of  the  Empire, 
there  are  few  indications  of  it  now.  It  is  true,  the  grand 
old  trees  scattered  about  are  things  of  interest.  But 
the  special  object  bringing  us  here  is  the  temple  of 
Hachiman,  one  of  the  most  noted  deified  gods  of  Japan. 
There  it  is  in  the  distance.  That  is  an  imposing  street 
leading  to  it.  At  the  entrance,  as  usual,  stands  the  to- 
rii,  signifying  "  bird-rest."  Originally  these  were  made 
of  two  upright  trunks  of  trees,  with  a  horizontal  trunk 
placed  upon  them  projecting  beyond  the  standards. 
Under  the  heavy  cross-piece  is  a  slender  rod  attached, 
looking  as  though  it  might  be  a  perch  for  birds.  Tra- 
dition informs  us  that  the  first  object  of  the  torii  was  to 
afford  large  and  small  birds  a  resting-place  close  by  the 
temple,  to  usher  in  the  day  with  song  and  thanksgiving 
to  the  loving  Buddha. 

Attempts  have  been  made  to  render  this  structure 
for  orisons  especially  attractive  in  the  way  of  carving 
and  painting. 

Moving  on  some  rods,  and  ascending  sixty-three 
wide  broad  stone  steps,  you  come  to  a  beautiful 


96  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

wooden  chapel,  painted  with  vermilion  and  gilded 
with  gold.  A  few  more  steps  and  the  temple  is 
entered.  This,  like  other  temples  in  Japan,  has  no 
auditorium  for  the  assemblage  of  the  people.  The  in- 
side is  intended  for  the  use  of  the  priests,  who  spend 
their  time  in  prayer  and  worship  before  different  im- 
ages of  deified  men.  But  three  bonzes,  or  priests,  are 
to  be  seen.  One  is  in  devout  service,  it  would  seem, 
judging  from  the'  expression  of  his  countenance  and  the 
counting  of  his  beads.  The  other  two  are  walking 
about  and  staring  at  vacuity ;  however,  as  you  approach 
the  principal  altar,  one  of  them  motions  to  you  to  come 
this  way  to  a  sort  of  cloister,  where  he  takes  out  a  rusty 
sword  and  expatiates  about  lyeyasu,  who  was  their 
greatest  warrior,  and  now  is  one  of  their  most  honored 
gods.  He  says  this  was  his  sword,  and  with  it  he  won 
the  grandest  victories.  He  has  drawings  of  it  on  paper 
which  he  is  anxious  to  sell.  But  the  bonze  is  by  far 
the  greatest  curiosity.  His  head  is  shaven  close.  His 
confinement  indoors  has  greatly  whitened  his  com- 
plexion. He  is  clothed  with  a  loose  cotton  frock,  baggy 
trousers,  and  straw  sandals.  He  does  not  exhibit  signs 
of  being  fairly  intellectual  nor  highly  spiritual.  The 
bonze  at  prayer  is  of  a  higher  order,  and  is  clad  in  silk 
garments.  He  is  beardless  and  hairless,  as  is  the  fash- 
ion among  the  priests.  They  present  no  appearance  of 
high  living  or  strong  drink;  rice  is  their  common  food, 
which  is  furnished  them  by  worshippers  as  they  come 
to  the  altars  for  blessings.  On  certain  festive  oc- 
casions they  are  abundantly  supplied.  But  few  of 
them  ever  eat  any  fish.  Do  you  inquire  if  these 


JAPAN.  97 

bonzes  ever  preach?  Yes,  on  certain  occasions;  their 
discoursing  is  mainly  practical  and  brief,  enforcing  du- 
ties of  husbands  to  their  wives,  charging  them  often 
to  be  generous  in  bestowing  pin-money  if  they  would 
have  peace  in  their  homes. 

As  we  examine  the  temple  we  are  reminded  of  the 
Roman  .Catholic  Church,  —  images,  altars,  lights,  pic- 
tures, incense,  vestments,  and  beads.  We  can  scarcely 
guess  whether  the  Buddhists  have  borrowed  from  the 
Romans,  or  whether  it  is  the  reverse.  It  becomes 
plain  that  the  bonzes  are  more  given  to  superstition 
than  the  Roman  priests. 

The  temples  here  are  after  one  style,  and  generally 
made  of  wood,  one  story  high,  with  a  tent-roof  pro- 
jecting several  feet  over  the  walls,  and  the  whole 
painted  red.  The  style  is  surely  Japanese.  So  it  is: 
every  religion  has  its  own  peculiar  expressions. 

The  trees  around  the  temple  are  venerable  and  grand. 
Some  of  the  pines  are  two  and  three  centuries  old,  and 
yet  show  no  signs  of  decay.  It  is  not  so  with  the  re- 
ligion of  the  land:  it  bears  marks  of  decline  in  its  old 
age. 

Thus  it  is  with  Kamakura.  There  are  still  indica- 
tions that  when  it  was  the  capital  of  the  Empire,  it  was 
a  charming  city.  Though  Nature  has  done  enough  to 
render  it  beautiful,  man  in  these  late  years  has  failed  to 
do  his  part ;  so,  gray  and  wasting,  it  is  falling  into  the 
dust. 

How  true  it  is  that  people  living  among  old  ruins 
and  in  decaying  cities  come  to  dote  upon  the  past  and 
distrust  the  future.  They  appear  to  feel  that  what  has 

7 


98  ROUND  THE    GLOBE. 

been  will  never  be  again.  Were  it  not  for  the  pilgrim- 
ages to  this  old  city,  it  would  be  forlorn  indeed.  But 
thousands  hasten  hither  every  year  to  bow  before  the 
great  image  of  Dai  Butsu,  and  worship  in  the  temple 
of  the  deified  Hachiman. 

As  we  come  to  a  small  stream  in  the  suburbs  of  the 
city,  we  observe  a  cotton  handkerchief  suspended  by 
the  corners  on  four  bamboo  rods,  rising  two  feet  above 
the  ground.  The  cloth  sags  in  the  centre,  with  a  cocoa- 
nut  cup  lying  on  it.  Small  bouquets  have  been  placed 
in  the  bamboos  at  the  corners.  On  one  side  is  an 
erect  slab,  bearing  in  Sanskrit  characters  the  name  of  a 
deceased  mother,  and  an  earnest  prayer  in  her  behalf. 
While  waiting  and  wondering  at  the  singular  arrange- 
ment, a  friend  of  the  departed  comes  along ;  taking  the 
cup,  he  fills  it  with  water,  and  turns  it  upon  the  hand- 
kerchief, and  then,  in  the  attitude  of  prayer,  fingering 
his  rosary,  waits  for  the  water  to  drain  through  the  cloth. 
This  is  done  in  a  tender  manner;  and  as  we  learn  its  full 
significance,  we  must  admit  it  is  touchingly  beautiful. 
For  in  this  way  it  is  believed  that  the  suffering  of  the 
translated  is  being  relieved ;  and  whenever  the  passers- 
by  shall  have  poured  water  sufficient  (only  a  cupful  at 
a  time)  to  break  the  cloth  away  so  that  the  water  will 
fall  through  at  once,  then  the  departed  no  longer  is 
troubled,  but  raised  into  a  condition  of  rest.  If  this  is 
superstitious  service,  it  must  tend  to  improve  the  hearts 
of  all  who  observe  it  in  sincerity.  It  is  well  for  the 
living  to  cherish  memories  of  the  dead,  so  thinking  and 
'  so  acting  as  always  to  bless  the  friends  on  earth  and  in 
heaven. 


JAPAN.  99 

The  slanting  sunlight  implies  that  the  day  is  fast 
passing,  and  we  are  forty  miles  by  rail  from  Yoko 
hama.  But  the  boy-colts  are  ready  for  a  race.  So, 
seated  in  the  easy  carriage,  away  we  fly  up  hill  and 
down  hill,  and  across  the  plain,  and  in  one  hour  we 
are  at  the  station,  in  good  season  for  the  train. 

From  ancient  days  this  picturesque  land  has  been 
peopled.  It  would  seem  that  much  of  the  heroic  and 
poetical  enters  into  its  life.  How  could  it  well  be  other- 
wise with  a  people  reared  in  a  land  so  subject  to  uplift- 
ing and  down-letting?  Not  a  moon  waxes  and  wanes 
without  volcanic  disturbance.  This  would  tend  to  breed 
romance  and  superstition  where  ignorance  prevailed ;  but 
as  darkness  should  be  dispelled  by  light,  higher  condi- 
tions of  mind  would  be  developed.  Thus  it  was  that 
lords  sprang  up  here,  and  mighty  chiefs  came  to  rule 
the  land.  Castles  were  set  on  loftiest  cliffs,  and  hugest 
walls  were  built  that  feudal  chiefs  might  dwell  in  security. 
Verily,  shoguns  did  come  to  possess  the  whole  country ! 
Serfs  or  vassals,  though  numerous,  must  submit  to  the 
powers  that  be.  This  called  forth,  at  length,  orders  of 
nobility.  Shoguns,  daimios,  and  samurai  were'  grades 
down  to  peasants,  carpenters,  and  merchants.  As  years 
rolled  on,  cities  sprang  up,  with  strongest  fortresses 
within,  that  shoguns  might  be  surrounded  by  daimios, 
and  daimios  be  guarded  by  samurai  at  the  outposts. 
This  system'  naturally  bred  contentions.  Clans  became 
arrayed  against  clans ;  fiercest  strifes  raged,  and  "  the 
survival  of  the  fittest "  bore  off  the  palm ;  accordingly 
this  one  became  the  great  shogun,  and  must  dwell 
in  the  chief  city  as  the  head  of  all  the  others.  So 


100  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

Kamakura,  then  Nara,  then  Kioto,  and  finally  Yeddo,  or 
Tokio,  became  the  capital. 

Tokio  is  a  city  of  more  than  a  million  inhabitants. 
The  site  on  which  it  stands  is  elliptical,  being  nine  miles 
long  and  five  wide.  Formerly  it  was  a  moat,  or  morass, 
rather  than  solid  earth.  But  lyeyasu,  the  Napoleon 
of  Japan,  said,  "  It  must  become  the  capital  of  my 
country."  So  he  caused  an  immense  fort  to  be  con- 
structed near  the  centre.  It  is  a  tremendous  pile  of 
granite  blocks.  Some  of  them  are  forty  feet  long,  eight 
feet  wide,  and  four  feet  thick.  It  has  stood  for  three 
centuries,  and  is  likely  to  stand  for  ages.  In  style  it 
surpasses  the  castles  on  the  Rhine  or  on  the  Danube 
River.  Around  this  bulwark  runs  a  deep  moat,  forty 
feet  wide,  supplied  with  water  conveyed  nine  miles  in 
an  aqueduct.  Majestic  pines  and  cedars  wave  their 
fronded  tops  above  the  towering  walls.  Around  this 
structure  Yeddo  sprang  up.  The  feudal  lord  dwelt 
within  the  stronghold,  guarded  by  daimios  and  defended 
at  the  portcullis  by  the  samurai,  while  his  vassals  dwelt 
in  bamboo  tents  on  the  plain. 

But  the  world  moved,  and  so  did  Japan  and  its 
capital.  lyeyasu  was  more  for  peace  than  for  war, 
more  devoted  to  the  masses  than  to  himself.  He  was  a 
Shinto-Buddhist.  Still,  he  was  better  than  his  religion  ; 
for  that  no  longer  said  to  the  people,  "  Think  and  do," 
but  "  Cling  to  the  past  and  remain  as  you  are."  Really 
the  religious  tree  in  this  land  had  already  fallen,  and 
the  priests  were  clinging  to  the  dead  roots ;  and  so  they 
have  clung  ever  since.  It  appears  as  though  their  god 
is  dead,  and  they  have  not  so  much  now  as  a  live  devil. 


JAPAN.  10 I 

Go  now  upon  the  hill  above  the  Shiba  temple,  and 
view  the  city.  As  you  inspect  it,  you  are  reminded  of 
an  extensive  camping-ground  thickly  set  with  tents. 
No  wonder  it  is  subject  to  extensive  fires,  for  the  houses 
are  little  better  than  tinder-boxes,  being  made  of  wood 
and  crowded  together.  Its  main  street  is  nine  miles  in 
length,  and  lined  with  shops  and  stores.  It  contains  all 
classes,  from  those  living  in  the  hovel  to  the  Mikado  in 
the  palace,  from  the  ignoramus  begging  in  the  street 
to  the  distinguished  scholar  in  the  University,  from  the 
coolie  gathering  up  the  filth  in  the  street  to  the  jeweller 
setting  the  finest  stone. 

As  Yeddo  grew  in  importance,  it  became  Tokio  in 
name,  adopting  as  fast  as  possible  the  improvements  of 
the  West.  To-day  you  find  in  it  the  railroad,  the  tram- 
way, the  telegraph,  the  telephone,  and  electric  lights. 

Its  present  Mikado  is  no  longer  a  divine  recluse,  too 
holy  to  have  the  eyes  of  his  subjects  fall  upon  him,  as 
was  formerly  the  case.  Really,  he  has  come  down  from 
the  company  of  the  gods  to  deal  with  embodied  entities. 
So  but  yesterday,  on  his  thirty-seventh  birthday,  he  met 
hosts  of  his  subjects  on  the  public  parade-grounds  of 
the  city,  and  was  gazed  upon  by  upwards  of  a  hundred 
thousand  of  his  admiring  subjects.  Let  us  visit  this 
scene. 

The  day  comes  in  cool  and  bright.  Before  the  sun  is 
up  crowds  are  moving  towards  the  place  of  review. 
We  fall  in  with  this  current  of  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren. Most  are  walking  with  bare  feet;  some  are 
thudding  along  with  clog-shoes,  and  others  with  straw 
sandals ;  many  are  riding  in  jinrikishas ;  and  a  few  are 


102  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

0 

on  horseback  and  in  European  carriages.  Of  course  all 
are  tending  in  the  same  direction.  It  is  surprising  how 
quietly  the  multitudes  move  on.  The  rich  and  poor  are 
mingling  freely  together.  At  length  we  are  passing  the 
Fortress  and  the  Mikado's  palace.  Here  a  regiment  of 
soldiers  march  into  the  street.  They  are  good-looking 
young  men,  from  twenty  to  thirty-five  years  of  age. 
They  must  be  picked  men,  for  they  are  taller  and 
heavier  than  the  average  Japanese.  They  are  dressed, 
after  the  manner  of  the  European  soldier,  in  blue 
broadcloth  striped  with  several  colors.  Their  caps  are 
of  the  same  material,  mounted  with  plumes.  The 
officers  are  good-looking;  but  the  horses  of  the  cavalry 
are  small  and  homely.  The  bands,  as  they  play,  do  not 
appear  to  inspire  very  much  enthusiasm. 

Arriving  at  the  campus  about  eight  o'clock,  we  find 
the  legions  here.  Ten  thousand  soldiers  are  on  parade. 
The  foreign  officers  and  dignitaries  are  guided  to  the 
Mikado's  tent.  All  are  expectant,  and  anxious  to  se- 
cure the  best  place  to  see.  Gentlemen  and  ladies  from 
abroad  are  privileged  characters,  and  so  they  are  al- 
lowed to  stand  near  the  tent  of  the  Mikado,  where  they 
will  be  able  to  witness  the  sights.  At  nine  o'clock  the 
Mikado  rides  upon  the  grounds  in  a  carriage  drawn  by 
two  roan  horses.  It  is  not  an  expensive  outfit  for  an 
Emperor.  Those  who  have  seen  the  Mikado  and  those 
who  have  not,  are  bound  to  get  a  sight  of  him.  Greatest 
deference  and  honor  are  paid  him  as  he  rides  past  the 
people.  As  he  reaches  his  tent,  he  alights  and  soon 
mounts  his  horse  ready  to  inspect  his  brave  men.  He 
is  above  the  average  size,  straight  and  comely,  not 


JAPAN.  103 

handsome  but  having  an  interesting  face.  His  hair  is 
black  and  his  beard  short.  When  standing,  or  sitting 
on  his  horse,  he  presents  a  fine  figure  and  presence. 
He  takes  great  pride  in  his  army.  As  the  soldiers 
stand  in  line,  he  rides  close  in  front,  inspecting  and 
admiring  them.  After  this  is  over,  he  takes  a  stand 
in  his  carriage,  and  the  soldiers  pass  in  review  in  front 
of  him,  saluting  and  expressing  reverence  for  their 
Mikado. 

The  manoeuvres  of  the  soldiers  show  that  they  have 
been  under  good  training  and  discipline.  In  times  of 
peace  the  army  consists  of  one  hundred  thousand  in- 
fantry, twenty  thousand  cavalry,  and  a  small  navy. 
This  is  an  inferior  army,  compared  to  those  of  France 
and  Germany.  Still,  it  has  proved  itself  equal  to  emer- 
gencies and  the  demands  of  the  nation.  This  was 
signally  illustrated  in  the  difficulty  of  Japan  with  China 
about  Formosa.  Japan  felt  she  had  justice  on  her  side. 
Looking  upon  her  daring  and  heroic  people,  she  said, 
"  The  four  hundred  millions  of  Chinese  shall  not  intimi- 
date me  and  keep  me  from  doing  my  duty."  So  she 
sent  her  naval  forces  to  China  demanding  justice,  de- 
claring if  this  were  not  granted  she  would  fire  upon 
them.  The  great  nation  quailed,  giving  Japan  all  she 
asked.  This  was  but  the  repetition  of  the  ten  thousand 
Greeks  on  the  plain  of  Marathon  conquering  the  more 
than  a  hundred  thousand  Persians.  Brains  are  mightier 
than  the  sword. 

One  fact  we  should  keep  in  mind,  that  the  govern- 
ment of  Japan  has  always  been  hereditary  and  its  ruler 
venerated ;  hence,  while  many  sovereigns  have  been  of 


104  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

little  account,  the  line  of  descent  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty-six  rulers  has  been  unbroken. 

The  Mikado  has  been  high-priest  as  well  as  emperor, 
and  therefore  has  been  spoken  of  as  the  spiritual  head 
of  the  nation%  For  this  reason  he  has  been  clothed  with 
mystery  and  seclusion  which  have  been  held  sacred  for 
more  than  a  thousand  years.  But  the  present  Imperial 
Ruler  has  broken  away  from  the  chains  of  the  past,  and 
seems  bound  to  render  his  nation  honorable  among  the 
enlightened  realms  of  the  earth.  The  daimios  have 
been  induced  to  give  up  their  rich  estates  for  the  bene- 
fit of  the  people,  and  the  present  Mikado  has  promul- 
gated from  the  throne  a  Constitution  establishing  a 
House  of  Peers,  —  the  members  of  which  are  to  be 
partly  hereditary,  partly  elective,  and  partly  nominated 
by  the  Mikado,  —  and  a  House  of  Commons  consisting 
of  three  hundred  members.  The  right  of  suffrage  is 
given  to  all  men,  of  the  age  of  twenty-five  years  and 
over,  who  pay  taxes  to  the  amount  of  twenty-five  dol- 
lars. The  parliament  is  to  possess  legislative  functions 
and  the  control  of  the  treasury.  Judges  cannot  be  re- 
moved except  by  special  legislation.  Liberty  of  reli- 
gion, freedom  of  speech,  and  right  of  public  meetings 
are  being  established.  All  this  speaks  well  for  Mutsu 
Hito.  He  is  really  writing  his  name  high  on  the  scroll 
of  honor.  The  Empress  is  proving  herself  a  noble 
character,  doing  much  to  elevate  her  sex.  It  is  ex- 
pected that  the  new  Constitution  will  come  into  full 
power  within  a  year. 

Already,  under  the  Mikado's  rule,  money  has  been 
liberally  expended  in  sending  Japanese  youths  to  be 


JAPAN.  105 

educated  in  foreign  lands ;  public  schools  and  scientific 
and  benevolent  institutions  have  been  founded  upon  the 
models  of  Western  nations ;  a  free  press  is  at  work ;  a 
new  postal  system  has  been  put  into  operation ;  the  old 
Japanese  calendar  has  been  superseded  by  the  most  im- 
proved form ;  the  Mikado  has  brought  into  the  employ- 
ment of  the  Government  men  of  culture  and  diplomacy ; 
a  gold  and  silver  currency  has  been  introduced,  and  a 
system  of  railroads  and  telegraphs  organized.  All  this 
has  been  achieved  largely  under  the  rule  of  the  present 
Emperor,  in  little  more  than  a  score  of  years.  Is  it  not 
surprising  that  such  a  change  should  have  come  to  a 
people  far  off  upon  the  bosom  of  the  Pacific,  indepen- 
dently of  their  nearest  neighbors,  China  and  India? 

It  is  right  that  the  Japanese  should  celebrate  the 
birthday  of  their  present  Mikado,  and  honor  him  for 
his  noble  achievements.  How  can  Christian  hearts  all 
over  the  world  refrain  from  expressing  honor  to  him 
who  has  been  instrumental  in  causing  the  signboards 
proscribing  Christianity  in  Tokio  and  other  cities  to  be 
pulled  down,  and  glad  welcome  to  be  given  to  Chris- 
tian scholars  and  preachers  who  have  come  to  their 
country  to  make  the  people  wiser  and  better ! 

In  this  vast  gathering  of  the  people  we  see  no  rioting, 
wantonness,  or  intemperance.  The  day  is  beautiful, 
the  occasion  grand,  and  the  result  must  be  helpful 
and  encouraging.  If  Mutsu  Hito  receives  annually 
$1,748,800  from  the  Government,  he  spends  the  larger 
share  of  it  for  the  good  of  his  subjects. 

The  stranger  in  Tokio  is  often  made  to  feel  that  he  is 
in  some  fairy  realm ;  all  of  a  sudden  such  a  transposition 


106  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

comes  that  he  can  half  imagine  he  is  in  pandemonium. 
At  best  it  is  a  changeable  town,  full  of  novelty  and  ro- 
mance. The  shape  of  the  houses ;  the  narrowness  of 
the  winding  streets ;  the  style  of  dress ;  the  methods  of 
working, — the  carpenter  planing  and  sawing  toward  in- 
stead of  from  himself;  the  caricatures  on  the  fans ;  the 
myths  of  fiery  dragons,  bloody  demons,  crazy  imps, 
huge  giants,  and  tiny  mortals;  the  marvellous  stories 
related  round  the  hebachi  by  bare-pated  women  and 
doubled-up  old  men  to  gaping,  staring  children,  —  all 
imply  there  is  something  peculiar  and  surprising  in  the 
Japanese  character. 

No  wonder  this  has  been  a  city  of  conflagrations,  for 
the  houses  generally  appear  like  tinder-boxes  waiting 
for  the  match  to  be  struck,  and  if  inflamed  the  hun- 
dreds of  acres  on  which  the  city  stands  would  in  a  day 
become  a  vacant  site.  Most  of  the  buildings  are  but 
one  story  high.  The  front  room  of  nearly  every  house 
on  the  main  streets  is  used  for  a  store  or  a  shop.  The 
panes  of  the  windows  are  not  glass,  but  thin  white 
paper.  The  most  common  article  for  sale  is  the  clog 
shoe.  Oh,  dear !  how  they  clatter  on  the  streets  all  the 
day  long !  You  must  be  thankful  the  noise  of  this  clap, 
clap,  clatter,  clatter,  is  in  Japan  instead  of  in  America. 
In  whatever  part  of  the  city  you  may  be,  as  you  hear 
it  you  feel  that  everybody  is  out  of  doors  and  on  a 
tramp.  The  jinrikishas  are,  from  sunrise  to  sunset,  as 
abundant  as  the  fireflies  in  a  New  England  meadow  of  a 
June  evening.  It  is  strange  they  do  not  dash  against 
one  another  in  meeting  and  crossing  the  streets.  Ah ! 
the  boy-nags  are  experts  in  their  way. 


JAPAN.  lO/ 

Surely  the  injunction,  "  Increase  and  multiply,"  is 
heeded  here.  The  babies  out  of  doors  are  beyond 
numbering,  and  many  of  them  are  wee  bits  indeed. 
Most  of  them  have  shaven  pates,  and  are  hanging  to 
the  backs  of  mothers  and  sisters.  But  few  old  men 
and  women  are  to  be  seen,  and  those  discovered  have 
scarcely  any  hair  upon  the  head.  Moving  on,  for 
miles  it  is  one  succession  of  stores.  You  wonder  when 
and  whence  the  buyers  come,  for  you  see  but  little 
trading. 

As  you  see  the  tramway,  you  have  a  home-like  feel- 
ing, and  are  ready  to  say,  If  the  light  of  day  rises  in  the 
East,  the  light  of  civilization  comes  from  the  West. 

As  you  look  in  upon  the  Tokians  at  meal-time,  —  and 
this  can  be  done  without  any  impertinence,  for  they  eat 
almost  always  in  the  front  part  of  the  house,  which  is 
open, — you  see  the  male  members  of  the  family  eating 
first,  and  the  lower  classes  afterwards,  from  the  same 
dish  with  chopsticks,  squatting  on  the  floor.  Rice  and 
fish  are  their  staple  food,  and  weak  tea  is  their  drink. 
However,  the  higher  classes  are  more  private  in  their 
domestic  affairs,  and  you  do  not  have  the  opportunity, 
unless  invited  into  their  homes,  to  see  how  they  con- 
duct their  meals.  Well,  by  invitation  just  step  into  the 
home  of  a  samurai  while  at  breakfast.  You  find  him  in 
a  secluded  though  well  furnished  room,  sitting  on  the 
floor.  His  servant  has  just  brought  in  a  small  tray, 
containing  a  cup  of  rice,  a  few  bon-bons,  and  a  bottle  of 
sake" .  These  are  in  front  of  the  master,  and  he  is  eating 
the  rice  with  the  chopsticks.  The  servant  sits  on  his 
feet  a  short  distance  off,  watching  and  ready  to  spring 


108  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

to  do  the  bidding  of  his  master.  As  the  meal  is  going 
on,  a  neighbor  comes  in  to  have  an  interview  with  the 
samurai  on  some  political  matters.  He  understands  it 
is  meal-time  with  the  proprietor,  and  so  avails  himself 
of  the  opportunity  of  meeting  him  for  business.  But 
the  neighbor  does  not  partake  of  food;  in  fact,  he  is 
not  invited  to  do  so.  The  master  talks  and  eats  and 
drinks,  and  when  he  has  finished,  the  servant  gathers  up 
the  few  utensils  which  are  on  the  floor  and  bears  them 
away.  The  two  gentlemen  sit  a  few  minutes  longer, 
and  then  they  leave  the  house.  Now  the  wife  and  chil- 
dren have  their  repast  by  themselves.  It  cannot  be 
that  the  Japanese  live  to  eat,  for  they  can  experience 
little  comfort  and  real  pleasure  while  on  the  floor  and 
so  much  alone;  but  habits  once  fixed  are  stubborn 
masters. 

One  thing  is  certain,  —  it  does  not  cost  this  people 
much  to  live.  Their  bed  of  coals,  their  cooking-vessels, 
plates,  cups,  chopsticks,  and  table  on  the  floor,  their 
rice  and  fish  cost  but  a  pittance.  Young  married  peo- 
ple— and  they  are  usually  young,  being  in  their  teens — 
can  readily  set  up  housekeeping  here.  It  is  not  neces- 
gary  that  the  young  man  should  wait  till  he  gets  rich 
before  he  is  wedded.  Indeed,  he  does  not  do  that  in 
Japan. 

Coming  to  the  silk  stores,  we  find  large  establish- 
ments, reminding  us  of  London  and  New  York.  The 
goods  are  really  beautiful  and  cheap.  Were  it  not  for 
the  duties  at  American  ports,  would  we  not  lay  in  a 
generous  stock  of  all  kinds  of  silk?  It  is  fortunate  that 
Japan  has  been  ruled  by  empresses  as  well  as  emperors. 


JAPAN. 

The  Empress  Jingu  Rogu  led  an  invading  army  aganist 
Corea,  compelling  the  inhabitants  to  give  up  many 
treasures  in  paying  yearly  tribute  to  her  country.  In 
283  her  son  brought  a  woman  from  that  country  to 
teach  the  Japanese  the  art  of  working  in  silk.  From 
that  period  they  have  continued  to  produce  the  silk 
and  weave  it  into  the  most  curious  fabrics.  Their  mer- 
chants claim  that  they  now  manufacture  the  finest  silks 
in  the  world.  It  is  a  pleasure  to  see  them  lay  web  after 
web,  shawl  after  shawl,  ribbon  after  ribbon,  and  hand- 
kerchief after  handkerchief  of  silk  upon  the  counter. 
Whether  you  buy  or  not,  they  seem  to  delight  in  having 
you  see  their  assortments. 

The  Japanese  are  naturally  polite.  Just  see  those 
two  gentlemen  as  they  meet!  How  gracefully  they 
bow  and  bow,  but  they  do  not  kiss.  The  most  perfect 
order  prevails  throughout  the  city,  day  and  night. 
Frequently,  as  little  urchins  crowd  about  you  to  see 
the  stranger,  you  can  but  wish  that  somebody  would 
wipe  their  noses.  It  is  not  strange  that  colds  are  prev- 
alent here,  since  the  weather  is  as  changeable  as  in  Bal- 
timore or  San  Francisco,  and  the  feet  and  legs,  too,  of 
the  children  are  usually  bare,  and  some  of  them  have 
on  scarcely  any  clothes.  At  times  it  is  damp  and  chilly, 
and  snow  falls. 

Book-stalls  are  common,  in  which  are  kept  story- 
books and  illustrated  works.  Most  of  these  are  not 
printed  on  white  or  fine  paper.  The  binding  is  likely 
to  be  somewhat  crude,  and  the  pictures  are  mere  cari- 
catures. They  can  and  do  make  good  paper,  and  as 
many  as  seventy  different  varieties. 


IIO  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

Entering  a  store  whose  shelves  are  filled  with  books 
from  Paris,  London,  Boston,  and  Chicago,  it  gives  us 
a  homelike  experience  which  annihilates  for  the  time  be- 
ing all  distance,  and  places  us  upon  the  opposite  side 
of  the  globe.  What  friends  good  books  are,  and  how 
they  bridge  time  and  space ! 

Hasten  to  another  quarter  and  we  are  at  the  Nilson 
Bashi,  the  bridge  that  has  become  famous  the  world 
over.  It  is  said  that  from  it  all  distances  in  Japan  are 
reckoned.  Its  aspect  does  not  remind  one  of  the  old 
bridge  in  Rome  across  the  Tiber,  nor  of  the  London 
Bridge  over  the  Thames.  This  is  made  of  wood  and  is 
in  a  state  of  decay.  It  is  ungainly  in  appearance,  and 
is  monopolized  by  beggars,  dirty  priests,  and  venders  of 
many  kinds  of  trash.  But  from  its  humpback  we  have 
a  splendid  view  of  Fusiyama,  the  loftiest  mass  of  lava 
on  the  face  of  the  earth. 

As  you  leave  the  narrow  ways  and  come  into  the 
broadest  street  of  Tokio,  you  are  led  to  exclaim, 
"  Beautiful !"  Since  the  fire  of  1872  it  has  been  laid 
out  a  mile  long  and  three  hundred  feet  wide,  having 
roomy  sidewalks.  It  is  adorned  with  shade-trees  and 
flower-beds,  and  is  bordered  with  good  buildings  of 
brick,  roofed  with  tiling.  No  ugly  image  of  Buddha 
or  of  any  other  god  deforms  this  street.  If  you  are 
upon  it  or  any  other  thoroughfare  in  the  evening,  you 
must  look  out  for  your  pockets,  for  Japanese  hands 
have  a  wonderful  proclivity  for  watches  and  porte- 
monnaies.  In  spite  of  the  watchfulness  of  six  thou- 
sand policemen,  Tokio  is  noted  for  its  robberies.  No 
beggars  are  allowed  to  tramp  through  the  streets,  and 


JAPAN.  1 1 1 

it  is  seldom  you  run  across  a  place  of  extreme  squalor. 
Some  terrible  vices  are  legalized,  but  they  are  confined 
to  certain  quarters. 

There  are  but  few  horses  and  carriages  in  the  city. 
The  highways  are  not  adapted  to  their  use.  The  trans- 
porting is  done  by  canals  as  far  as  possible,  and  the 
trucking  on  carts  drawn  by  coolies.  It  is  not  uncom- 
mon to  meet  with  a  hundred  men,  or  more,  carrying  a 
timber  or  stone  of  enormous  size. 

Tokio  is  to  Japan  what  London  is  to  Great  Britain, — 
nearly  every  trade  and  business  of  the  country  is  rep- 
resented here;  so,  by  ransacking  this  city  and  exam- 
ining it  somewhat  carefully,  you  can  learn  what  is  being 
done  throughout  the  land. 

There  is  any  amount  of  quackery  here,  introduced 
largely  perchance  through  foreign  agencies.  They 
have  no  distilleries  and  grow  no  opium,  but  spurious 
beverages  and  medicines  are  sold  in  large  quantities, 
being  labelled  in  the  most  taking  manner.  They,  like 
the  rest  of  the  world,  are  ready  to  undertake  almost 
anything  for  the  sake  of  money. 

Tokio  abounds  in  amusements  and  pleasures.  Dram- 
atists, wrestlers,  and  jugglers  are  numerous;  but  the 
most  inviting  occasions  are  the  flower  festivals,  when 
the  Japanese  do  their  best,  in  the  way  of  flags,  lanterns, 
blossoms,  and  toys,  to  decorate  their  houses,  streets, 
and  public  squares  in  the  most  fascinating  style. 

The  stronghold  of  this  capital  city  at  present  is  not 
its  fortifications  or  its  temples,  but  its  Imperial  Univer- 
sity and  public  schools.  Let  us  explore  these  cursorily. 
As  we  find  our  way  to  the  University  we  soon  discover 


112  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

that  it  is  favorably  situated  and  occupies  considerable 
space,  which  is  made-land  in  part.  The  different  col- 
lege buildings  are  scattered  through  the  grounds,  made 
inviting  by  a  variety  of  walks,  shade-trees,  shrubs,  and 
flowers.  The  art-gardeners  are  busy  here,  setting  out 
and  trimming  shrubs  and  trees  into  resemblances  of 
men,  animals,  and  curious  objects.  The  Mikado  and 
his  subjects  glory  in  the  University,  and  are  ready  to  do 
their  best  for  it.  The  College  of  Engineering  is  the 
pride  of  the  city  and  country.  It  presents  the  aspect 
of  a  real  academy  in  position,  proportions,  and  outfit; 
it  is  equal  to  the  best  in  the  West. 

Japan  is  resolved  to  produce  unsurpassed  engineers 
to  help  forward  the  improvements  of  the  country.  This 
department  is  largely  patronized.  Passing  through  the 
different  rooms,  we  see  the  students  draughting,  recit- 
ing, listening  to  lectures,  and  practising  with  instru- 
ments. 

In  the  Law  Department  large  numbers  are  in  attend- 
ance, —  young  men  earnestly  engaged  in  taking  notes 
as  they  are  being  addressed  by  Japanese,  English,  Ger- 
man, and  French  professors. 

In  the  Medical  College  there  are  also  many  in  attend- 
ance, who  are  apparently  deeply  interested  in  their 
studies.  It  has  a  good  museum,  which  is  well  supplied 
with  specimens  of  human  life  and  lower  orders  of  ani- 
mal existence. 

In  the  department  of  Natural  Science  the  scholars 
are  not  so  numerous,  yet  they  rank  high  in  scholarship. 
They  appear  to  be  revelling  in  zoology,  geology,  min- 
eralogy, astronomy,  and  chemistry.  These  divisions 


JAPAN.  1 1 3 

are  well  furnished  with  means  for  illustrating  the  various 
subjects. 

At  the  present  time  there  are  over  a  thousand  stu- 
dents in  the  different  departments.  From  appearances 
we  should  judge  them  to  be  on  an  average  twenty-two 
years  of  age.  Most  of  them  are  dressed  in  the  Euro- 
pean style.  They  rank  high,  as  a  rule,  in  scholarship. 
The  President  is  a  Japanese,  and  does  not  look  to  be 
past  forty-five  years  of  age.  He  is  popular  among  the 
students. 

When  the  shoguns  were  ceasing  to  build  castles,  and 
orders  of  nobility  were  letting  fall  their  sceptres,  a 
teacher  went  forth  from  our  land  to  the  city  of  Na- 
gasaki, on  the  island  of  Sikook.  The  place  was  clothed 
with  romantic  charms.  There  he  opened  a  school,  to 
which  students  soon  flocked.  Plato  in  his  academy, 
Aristotle  in  his  garden,  Origen  in  his  Alexandrian  col- 
lege, and  Gamaliel  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem  could  not 
have  been  more  devoted  to  the  demands  of  their  dis- 
ciples, than  was  this  teacher  to  the  wants  of  his  pupils. 
His  success  speedily  blossomed  into  far-reaching  fame. 
Providence  did  not  permit  him  to  remain  long  in  this 
position.  Accordingly,  he  was  called  to  Tokio,  to  take 
charge  of  what  was  then  a  School  of  Languages,  in 
which  were  engaged  three  French,  three  German,  and 
five  American  professors.  He  at  once  saw  the  needs 
of  the  institution,  and  accordingly  broadened,  deep- 
ened, and  ennobled  it.  So  out  of  that  beginning  the 
University  of  Tokio  has  been  developed  into  an  institu- 
tion of  which  the  nation  may  well  be  proud.  Its  fac- 
ulty is  made  up  of  foreign  and  native  teachers.  It  is 

8 


114 


ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 


supported  by  the  Government,  and  controlled  by  the 
Mikado  and  his  Cabinet. 

The  public  schools  are  under  the  supervision  of  a 
minister  of  education,  who  resides  in  Tokio.  The 
present  school  system  is  modelled  after  ours.  These 
schools  are  mostly  taught  by  males.  They  are  classed 
as  Primary,  Middle,  Normal,  and  Collegiate  schools. 
Three  years  are  fixed  as  the  minimum,  and  eight  as  the 
maximum  course  in  the  lower  grades.  The  middle 
schools  answer  to  our  grammar  schools,  and  the  colleges 
to  our  high  and  fitting  schools.  The  training-school  is 
for  the  purpose  of  preparing  students  for  teaching.  No 
one  can  secure  a  school  here  without,  first  presenting  a 
certificate  of  qualification  from  one  of  these  schools. 
All  the  schools  are  supported  by  taxation.  The  salaries 
of  teachers  are  established  by  the  Government.  Parents 
and  guardians  are  encouraged  to  visit  the  schools,  and 
especially  at  the  examinations.  The  following  are  the 
latest  official  statistics :  — 


SCHOOLS. 

Number  of 
Schools. 

Number  of 
Teachers. 

Number  of 
Students. 

Elementary      .     .     . 
High 

29,233 
14.2 

97,316 

I    T-7-? 

3,233,226 

TC  600 

6c 

714 

7  27O 

Technical    .... 

Universities     .     .     . 
Others               .     . 

103 

2 
I  326 

583 
194 

221"? 

8,9*3 
1,881 

58  006 

*I*L  J 

The  total  outlay  on  these  schools  is  estimated  at 
1,102,406,479  yens.  A  yen  is  equal  to  seventy  cents 
of  our  money. 


JAPAN.  1 1 5 

The  sexes  are  educated  separately.  For  exercise  the 
boys  go  through  a  course  of  military  drill,  and  the  girls 
are  trained  to  the  use  of  the  dumb-bells.  On  entering 
and  leaving  the  schoolroom  the  pupils  are  required  to 
keep  step  according  to  military  rule. 

Formerly  the  schools  were  connected  with  religious 
establishments,  and  the  teaching  was  under  the  control 
of  the  priests  ;  but  now  they  are  entirely  free  from  the 
Church,  and  are  managed  by  the  State. 

The  Japanese  teachers  are  well  qualified  for  their 
work.  The  schools  are  mostly  in  charge  of  men ;  how- 
ever, some  women  assist  in  the  instruction.  The  feeling 
prevails  that  women  cannot  be  first-class  teachers,  but 
this  error  will  be  removed  as  their  education  advances. 

The  Japanese  are  indebted  to  the  American  mission- 
aries for  their  present  system  of  instruction.  They  are 
glad  to  acknowledge  this  fact,  and  are  employing  many 
missionaries  to  teach  English  in  their  public  schools ; 
and  from  their  successful  work  the  Mikado  and  his 
advisers  contemplate  putting  the  fitting-schools  under 
the  direction  of  the  Christian  missions.  "  Give  us  more 
light "  seems  to  be  the  watchword  of  the  land. 

It  is  well  worth  while  to  see  some  of  these  public 
schools  in  operation.  So  we  select  the  central  district 
of  a  city.  It  is  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning.  As  we 
approach  the  building  it  offers  an  imposing  front,  being 
made  of  brick  and  in  modern  style.  In  the  yard  a  host 
of  boys  are  under  the  charge  of  a  drill-master,  who  is 
training  them  and  putting  them  through  active  and 
varied  evolutions.  The  boys  are  from  eight  to  fourteen 
years  old,  with  bright  faces.  They  enter  into  these 


Il6  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

exercises  with  zeal  and  manifest  pleasure.  This  drill 
lasts  for  an  hour ;  and  as  the  boys  break  rank,  they  have 
a  few  moments  to  themselves.  When  the  signal  is  given, 
they  all  quickly  come  into  line  and  march  into  the 
hall,  where  they  halt,  still  keeping  step,  take  off  their 
caps  and  clogs,  or  straw  sandals,  putting  them  in  the 
place  assigned  to  each  student,  and  then,  moving  on, 
file  into  their  several  rooms  at  the  same  time,  each 
teacher  taking  charge  of  his  own  pupils.  It  is  very 
quiet.  The  doors  are  closed,  and  school  proper  begins. 
There  is  no  reading  from  the  Sutras,  or  Buddhist  Bible. 
We  are  in  the  primary  room,  and  what  a  lot  of  wee 
brown  faces  are  before  us !  Some  of  them  are  not  as 
clean  as  they  might  be.  They  are  five,  six,  and  seven 
years  of  age.  The  teacher  is  a  young  man,  and  near 
him  is  stationed  an  old  wrinkled-faced  grandpa  who  is 
acting  as  monitor.  The  seats  are  flat  boards  without 
any  backs,  and  the  desks  too  are  merely  boards  looking 
dingy  and  worn.  There  is  a  blackboard  in  front  of  the 
pupils,  made  of  wood  and  nearly  void  of  paint.  On  the 
wall  are  some  charts  with  strange-looking  characters  on 
them;  these  constitute  the  Japanese  alphabet,  which 
has  nearly  double  the  number  of  letters  of  ours.  The 
teacher  sounds  a  letter,  and  then  the  whole  school  give 
it.  The  sounds  are  not  difficult,  but  a  long  time  is  re- 
quired to  learn  to  recognize  and  write  the  letters.  The 
children  are  required  to  give  the  strictest  attention.  At 
length  one  pupil,  and  then  another,  is  called  to  the 
chart  to  point  out  the  different  characters  as  the  teacher 
calls  for  them.  After  this  drill  of  half  an  hour,  a  class 
comes  upon  the  floor  to  read.  Their  books  are  made 


JAPAN.  117 

of  coarse  buff  paper,  and  the  pages  appear  to  be  cov- 
ered with  sprawls  and  crude  pictures  drawn  with  char- 
coal crayons.  The  children  are  evidently  pleased  with 
the  illustrations.  We  should  say  that  the  front  side  of 
their  books  is  the  back  side,  and  that  the  lines  begin  on 
the  left-hand  side  of  the  page,  and  run  down  instead 
of  across.  The  most  perfect  order  prevails. 

From  this  room  we  pass  to  the  next  higher.  The 
style  of  the  room  is  similar  to  that  of  the  primary.  Of 
course  the  seats  and  desks  are  larger.  The  room  is 
well  ventilated.  Here  are  forty  boys,  on  an  average  ten 
years  old.  The  dark  faces  shine,  and  the  eyes  sparkle. 
The  first  exercise  is*  reading.  Their  articulation  is  not 
plain,  nor  their  compass  of  voice  full.  To  vary  the 
exercise  a  few  are  called  to  the  desk ;  and  as  they  turn 
to  the  scholars  they  bow  gracefully,  place  the  book 
properly,  and  begin  to  read  at  once.  These  read 
louder  and  more  distinctly. 

In  another  room  we  find  boys  still  older.  They  are 
reciting  in  arithmetic.  While  one  is  sent  to  the  black- 
board, the  others  take  their  copy-books,  and  as  the 
teacher  reads  the  problem  the  pupils  write  it  down  and 
then  work  as  fast  as  they  can  in  solving  it.  As  soon 
as  they  obtain  an  answer  the  hands  come  up,  and  the 
teacher  goes  round  examining  their  papers  and  mark- 
ing those  that  are  correct,  "  acceptable."  These  pupils 
are  at  work  in  fractions,  and  think  them  hard. 

In  the  next  grade,  which  is  the  grammar  school,  we 
find  the  scholars  pursuing  grammar,  history,  geography, 
and  elementary  algebra.  Their  work  in  drawing  and 
figuring  is  rapid.  We  hear  a  'class  read  in  English, 


Il8  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

using  Wilson's  Reader.     This  sounds  natural  and  good. 
It  is  surprising  how  well  some  of  them  read. 

As  we  go  into  two  of  the  girls'  schools,  we  meet  with 
pupils  who  are  earnest  for  an  education.  Many  of  their 
faces  are  handsome.  In  one  room  they  are  having  an 
exercise  in  needlework.  These  rooms  are  in  charge  of 
men. 

When  the  bell  strikes  the  hour  of  noon  the  books  are 
laid  aside  immediately,  and  the  scholars  in  charge  of 
the  teachers  march  through  the  halls  into  a  large  dining- 
room,  where  with  the  teachers  they  are  seated  according 
to  their  grade.  Before  them  are  cups  of  rice  and  tea. 
At  the  given  signal  they  all  begin  to  eat ;  and  they  ap- 
ply the  chopsticks  and  sip  the  tea  with  a  relish.  They 
all  fare  alike  as  to  kind  and  quantity  of  food.  This 
frugal  meal,  so  well  served,  does  not  cost  more  than  two 
cents  apiece.  There  are  eight  teachers  and  five  hun- 
dred pupils  at  the  tables.  When  the  meal  is  finished 
the  pupils  march  into  the  yard,  where  they  have  a  jolly 
experience  in  running  and  jumping  and  in  various 
other  sports.  Special  pains  is  taken  to  develop  muscle 
and  uprightness  of  form. 

The  state  supervisor  of  the  schools  says  he  desires 
every  teacher  to  be  well  versed  in  three  things,  namely, 
dignity,  sympathy,  and  obedience,  and  then  he  will  be 
able  to  impress  these  essentials  upon  his  students. 

As  you  listen  to  the  Japanese  conversation,  whether 
in  school  or  in  public  assemblies,  you  soon  realize 
there  is  music  in  their  spoken  language.  While  it  was 
Moses  who  established  the  Hebrew  tongue,  Alfred  the 
Saxon,  and  Luther  the  German,  here  it  was  woman; 


JAPAN.  119 

so  the  language  possesses  a  charming  euphony.  It 
requires  from  three  to  five  years  to  learn  to  speak  it 
fluently.  But  speaking  it  is  one  thing,  and  writing  it  is 
quite  another.  However,  during  the  early  centuries  of 
the  nation  the  spoken  and  the  written  language  were  the 
same;  but  somewhere  about  the  sixth  century  of  the 
Christian  era  the  Chinese  literature  was  introduced  into 
the  country,  and  with  this  movement  there  was  a  gradual 
introduction  of  the  Chinese  symbols,  or  letters,  into 
the  printed  matter.  This  rendered  the  Japanese  lan- 
guage far  more  complicated,  so  that  at  the  present  day 
an  apt  scholar  cannot  acquire  the  power  to  indite  it 
short  of  ten  or  fifteen  years  of  close  application  and 
much  practice.  In  the  public  schools  it  is  not  expected 
the  scholars  will  master  the  written  language.  The  al- 
phabet of  forty-two  letters  being  increased  to  some  four 
hundred  renders  the  writing  of  their  grammar  very  intri- 
cate and  discouraging.  The  number  of  persons  in  the 
country  is  small  who  can  fluently  and  correctly  inscribe 
the  language.  Many  of  the  pupils  who  have  been  in 
school  for  years  cannot  read  the  whole  alphabet  as  it 
now  stands.  Because  of  this  hindrance  not  a  few  of 
the  scholars  are  in  favor  of  supplanting  their  own  by 
the  English  alphabet.  They  now  require  English  to  be 
taught  in  the  grammar  and  higher  grades  of  schools. 

On  the  streets  it  strikes  us  as  singular  that  we  Seldom 
see  any  family  groups.  The  men  seem  to  go  by  them- 
selves, and  so  do  the  women ;  however,  the  men  do  not 
ignore  children,  but  are  likely  to  have  them  in  their 
arms  or  by  their  side.  Were  all  the  nations  as  prolific 
as  Japan,  the  Malthusian  theory  would  soon  prove  true. 


I2O  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

Frequently  you  will  see  tall  ladders  rising  far  above 
the  houses,  with  a  bell  near  the  top  of  each.  These  are 
lookouts  for  fires,  which  are  common  throughout  the 
cities  and  villages.  We  think  insurance  companies  do 
not  thrive  here,  for  we  have  discovered  no  huge  build- 
ings and  flaming  placards  to  that  end.  No  doubt  it  is 
too  fiery  a  land  for  them  to  flourish. 

It  is  Sunday,  but  the  people  here  are  not  aware  of  it ; 
not  one  in  a  thousand  has  ever  heard  of  such  a  day. 
But  let  us  visit  the  Shiba  Temple,  one  of  the  most  noted 
in  Tokio.  It  is  situated  in  a  quiet  spot,  somewhat 
removed  from  the  usual  bustle  and  noise.  The  first 
introduction  to  it  is  an  immense  red  torii.  Passing  un- 
der this,  we  follow  an  avenue  beautifully  arched  with 
fir-trees,  giving  to  the  sacred  stone  lanterns  and  tombs  a 
solemn  appearance.  A  bonze  soon  meets  us  to  conduct 
us  into  the  temple  and  to  the  sacred  shrines.  These 
lanterns  are  memorials  erected  by  friends  in  honor 
of  departed  worthies,  the  same  as  we  erect  monuments 
to  the  distinguished  dead,  or  cause  memorial  windows 
to  be  placed  in  churches  and  cathedrals.  The  temple 
is  small,  and  before  the  shrines  are  a  few  worshippers, 
whose  countenances  do  not  indicate  that  the  heart  is 
devout  in  prayer,  or  the  mind  consecrated  to  thought. 
The  priest-guide  does  his  utmost  to  show  the  sights. 
Whether  this  is  done  so  much  for  the  sake  of  portray- 
ing the  objects  as  securing  rins,  is  a  question.  He  calls 
attention  to  six  large  gilded  lanterns  memorializing 
revered  shoguns.  He  leads  on  into  a  splendid  lavatory, 
where  in  one  part  are  stored  bells,  gongs,  and  lanterns, 
which  can  be  used  only  on  festive  occasions.  We  now 


JAPAN.  121 

turn  through  an  elegant  gate,  and  in  front  is  a  charming 
shrine  with  lacquered  steps  leading  to  it.  Shoes  are 
removed,  and  following  our  guide  as  gilded  doors  are 
swung  back,  an  exquisitely  fine  chapel  is  revealed ;  the 
walls  are  arabesqued,  and  the  panels  are  carved  with 
birds  and  flowers  peculiar  to  Japan.  Within,  other 
doors  are  opened,  and  lo !  three  urns  plated  with  gold 
rising  to  the  ceiling.  In  these  are  treasured  the  names 
and  titles  of  the  illustrious  dead.  Leaving  this  shrine 
we  walk  through  other  avenues  and  among  other  tombs ; 
but  the  creek,  whose  surface  is  wreathed  with  the  lotus 
and  the  iris,  the  birds  chirping  in  the  trees,  the  bright- 
winged  insects,  and  the  variegated  butterflies  add 
greatly  to  this  sacred  retreat.  Nature  always  does  her 
best  to  render  the  resting-places  of  the  dead  green  and 
attractive. 

But  from  this  experience  we  do  not  get  much  of  an 
idea  of  Shinto-Buddhist  worship.  Accordingly  let  us 
turn  our  attention  to  the  November  festival  at  the  Tem- 
ple of  Asakusa.  Every  day  is  a  festive  day  here.  It  is 
dedicated  to  Kwan-non,  the  most  popular  of  the  Japan- 
ese divinities.  Hither  all  are  wont  to  come,  whether 
they  wish  to  worship  or  to  have  a  gala  time.  The  day 
is  inviting;  and  as  we  arrive  at  the  torii  the  jinrikishas 
are  dismissed.  We  pass  through  the  gate.  No  car- 
riages are  allowed  on  this  avenue,  but  swarms  upon 
swarms  of  people  are  moving  to  and  fro.  On  either 
side  of  the  way  are  shops  and  booths,  wherein  are  toys, 
rosaries,  idols  of  wood  and  brass,  household  gods,  bells, 
candles,  flowers,  gewgaws,  incense-burners,  bonbons, 
rope-walkers,  jugglers,  immoral  women,  and  the  half  we 


122  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

cannot  mention.  A  small  artificial  river,  running  par- 
allel to  this  street,  but  a  little  way  off,  imparts  an  odor 
far  from  pleasant.  It  would  seem  that  there  must  be  a 
demand  for  quinine  shops  to  keep  the  people  from 
dying  with  the  ague,  but  none  such  are  in  sight.  By  a 
bridge  across  the  stream  are  two  bronze  images  of 
Buddha,  the  faces,  as  usual,  wearing  a  restful  expres- 
sion, with  the  lotus  in  the  hand,  and  "  the  light  of  the 
world"  crowning  their  heads.  After  this  novel  intro- 
duction of  half  a  mile  long,  we  come  to  another  sort  of 
gateway  in  which  are  two  gigantic,  bloated-faced  figures. 
Men  and  women  are  at  prayer  before  them.  These  are 
said  to  represent  the  male  and  female  principles  of  Chi- 
nese philosophy.  If  this  be  true,  the  Chinese  are  to  be 
pitied  for  having  such  a  philosophy.  By  the  way,  these 
are  the  figures  that  guard  the  entrance  to  many  of  the 
temples.  Certainly  their  appearance  must  tend  to  drive 
away  not  only  robbers  but  true  worshippers. 

A  short  distance  in  front  of  these  stands  the  temple 
of  Asakusa.  It  is  not  a  ponderous  structure,  but,  like 
all  the  other  Shinto-Buddhist  temples,  has  the  tented 
roof,  is  made  of  wood  painted  red,  and  is  one  story 
high.  To  the  right  of  us  is  a  strong-timbered  belfry 
in  which  hangs  a  tremendous  immovable  bell,  which  is 
rung  by  striking  it  with  a  heavy  timber,  and  sends 
out  the  mellowest  tones  imaginable  when  rung.  Near 
this  is  a  seven-story  pagoda  that  was  built  in  honor  of 
Kwan-non.  This  looks  airy  and  aspiring,  but  not  en- 
during. A  broad  flight  of  steps  leads  up  to  the  temple. 
Crowds  of  people  are  ascending  and  descending.  A 
lien  with  a  brood  of  chickens  monopolizes  quite  a  space. 


JAPAN.  123 

Doves  nest  under  the  eaves,  which  project  several  feet 
beyond  the  walls.  Entering  the  temple,  what  a  rabble 
and  confused  mass  there  is  in  the  outer  court,  which  is 
separated  from  the  inner  by  a  wire  gauze.  The  former 
is  brimming  full  of  old  and  young,  who  are  pushing  in 
and  pushing  out;  some  are  dressed  in  silks,  but  most 
are  poorly  clad,  with  clogs  on  their  feet  and  little  cotton 
upon  their  backs.  Several  images  of  different  gods  are 
in  this  court,  that  carry  the  marks  of  dirty  hands  and 
rough  worship.  Just  see  how  some  of  those  brawny 
fellows  are  pelting  the  faces  of  these  images  with  paper 
balls  which  they  have  made  by  masticating  slips  of  pa- 
per covered  with  grotesque  figures  of  saints  and  devils ; 
if  they  stick,  they  feel  that  their  service  is  acceptable. 
The  doves  whir  round  and  keep  lighting  in  the  midst 
of  the  congregation.  The  better  class,  as  an  offering, 
throw  rins  towards  the  face  of  Buddha,  which  is  guarded 
by  a  screen,  and  so  they  fall  into  a  trough  placed 
on  purpose  to  catch  them.  Priests  are  praying  in  the 
interior  court,  bells  dingle,  boys  and  girls  are  chatting, 
some  of  the  aged  are  droning  out  prayers.  When  the 
coppers  fly  thick  against  the  screen  a  bonze  under  the 
shadow  of  Buddha  claps  his  hands  and  almost  leaps  for 
joy.  On  the  walls  are  carvings  of  angels  and  frescos 
of  sprites.  Close  by  them  is  a  cumbrous  incense-burner 
fed  by  a  black-toothed  woman,  which  pours  out  the 
smoke  like  an  engine.  The  interior  court  is  the  sanc- 
tum sanctorum^  which  abounds  in  shrines  and  gods, 
both  great  and  small.  Here  the  lamps  burn  dimly, 
throwing  a  pall  of  gloom  over  every  object.  Only  the 
high-toned  can  gain  entrance  here.  So  it  is  money  that 


124  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

tells  in  the  worship  of  Buddha.  Well,  it  does  not  take 
long  for  them  to  say  their  prayers  and  satisfy  their  con- 
sciences, for  they  rush  in  and  soon  rush  out.  This  rab- 
ble and  clatter  continue  for  hours.  This  is  worship  to 
Buddha  in  the  temple  of  Kwan-non. 

But  we  have  not  seen  it  all  yet.  In  the  rear  of  the 
temple  we  can  look  upon  two  sleek  horses  which  live 
upon  offerings  of  grass  and  flowers  to  the  god  of  this 
temple,  and  are  kept  ready  for  him,  as  he  may  of  a 
sudden  return  to  the  earth  and  need  them  for  his  use. 
Farther  to  the  rear  is  a  meadow  of  rice  and  grass,  and 
through  it  for  half  a  mile  is  a  winding  path  thickly  set 
with  booths  for  singing  and  dancing  and  fortune-telling 
and  tea-drinking.  Then  there  are  seats  to  be  rented, 
monkeys  to  be  fed,  and  paper  fangles  to  be  sold.  By 
and  by  we  come  to  a  motley  crowd  of  booths  and  a 
swelling  tide  of  people.  This  reminds  us  of  an  old- 
fashioned  muster  with  a  sham  fight,  and  with  acres  of 
pedler's  carts  in  full  blast.  It  requires  a  deal  of  elbow- 
ing to  move  in  any  direction.  But  look  there,  as  we 
front  another  booth,  and  see  those  wax-figures,  life-size, 
all  dressed  in  silks,  with  faces  wonderfully  expressive ! 
Do  they  not  remind  you  of  Madame  Toussaud's  museum 
in  London?  It  is  said  they  were  produced  by  an  artist 
after  he  had  visited  many  Buddhist  temples  dedicated 
to  the  goddess  Mercy.  It  is  too  bad  to  have  such  an 
exhibition  in  such  an  unappreciative  throng.  In  the 
next  booth  there  is  a  living  illustration  of  what  woman 
can  do  in  the  way  of  gesticulations  and  grimaces.  She 
puts  herself  into  all  possible  attitudes.  She  occupies  a 
second-story  flat,  so  as  to  be  seen  from  afar.  She  surely 


JAPAN.  125 

draws  the  crowd.  It  is  a  spectacle,  indeed,  to  behold 
the  expression  of  the  upturned  faces.  At  the  terminus 
of  this  avenue  is  a  small  chapel,  open  in  front,  where  a 
bonze,  or  somebody  else,  is  haranguing  the  people  like 
an  auctioneer  at  a  forced  sale.  At  his  feet  is  a  long, 
deep  treasury-box  into  which  the  bits  of  copper  and 
sacred  balls  of  paper  fall  thick  and  fast  by  spells,  as  the 
speaker  excites  their  joy  or  fear  with  startling  asser- 
tions. Well,  this  is  enough  of  a  religious  festival  for 
one  half-day.  Such  experience  is  about  as  trying  to 
a  stranger's  nervous  system  as  a  typhoon  or  a  volcanic 
explosion. 

For  the  last  two  centuries  Buddhism,  as  expressed  in 
Japan,  has  been  on  the  decline.  It  is  not  the  religion 
for  the  people.  Though  there  are  still  some  seventy- 
five  thousand  Buddhist  priests,  fifteen  thousand  Shintoist 
priests,  and  seventy  thousand  temples  scattered  through 
the  land,  the  better  class  of  men  have  little  to  do  with 
them;  in  fact,  the  men  generally  ignore  religion,  unless 
they  have  been  disappointed  in  business,  or  are  driving 
some  sharp  scheme  which  they  imagine  is  beyond  their 
strength,  and  so  seek  it  selfishly,  hoping  to  gain  favor  of 
some  power  superior  to  themselves  that  will  give  them 
success.  The  women  are  more  ignorant  and  more  loyal 
to  their  church.  The  Japanese  must  be  rescued  by 
some  other  religion  than  Shinto-Buddhism. 

As  the  sojourner  in  this  land  takes' an  outing  from 
the  capital  city  by  rail,  passing  to  the  north  and  east, 
the  landscape  is  charming;  for  as  he  leaves  the  city, 
there  are  gardens  and  groves  on  every  hand.  The 
peasant  men  and  women  are  busy  reaping  or  sowing. 


126  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

They  look  cool  in  thin  loose  dresses  in  this  autumn  sea- 
son. The  rolling  surface,  dotted  with  patches  of  rice, 
cotton,  wheat,  onions,  radishes,  persimmons,  oranges, 
and  chrysanthemums,  presents  an  inviting  landscape. 
The  fields  are  numerous,  but  small  in  size.  The  break- 
ing up  and  the  cultivating  of  the  soil  are  done  mostly 
by  human  hands.  Nearly  every  foot  of  arable  ground 
is  under  cultivation.  When  ten  miles  away,  the  coun- 
try opens  into  wider  reaches  of  plain-land  bounded  by 
woods  and  mountains,  serrated  and  conical. 

At  Utsumomiya,  some  seventy  miles  from  Tokio,  the 
cars  are  left.  Now  we  ride  in  the  jinrikisha  for  twenty- 
two  miles,  towards  the  heart  of  the  country.  This  city 
has  a  population  of  fifteen  thousand.  No  English- 
speaking  people  have,  as  yet,  been  allowed  to  settle  in 
it.  It  has  no  hotel,  but  many  tea-houses.  The  people 
stare  at  strangers,  but  still  are  kindly  in  their  actions. 
In  a  tea-house  we  are  politely  and  generously  served  to 
rice,  with  chopsticks,  bonbons,  and  tea  for  a  small  sum 
of  money.  It  is  past  two  o'clock,  and  jinrikishas  are 
ready,  with  two  men  to  each  carriage.  As  soon  as  we 
are  seated,  away  we  go  through  the  long  thoroughfare 
of  the  city.  It  would  seem  as  though  the  Japanese 
aimed  to  have  their  cities  long  and  narrow.  Perchance 
the  reason  of  this  is  that  they  all  wish  to  live  on  the 
main  street.  Soon  we  are  riding  under  huge  pines  and 
cedars,  a  hundred  feet  tall  and  from  two  to  four  feet 
in  diameter.  Most  of  them  stand  on  piles  of  earth,  so 
that  the  roots  are  above  our  narrow  road.  They  are 
giant  sentinels,  guarding  the  way  to  the  shrined  city. 
These  trees  are  said  to  have  been  planted  to  render 


JAPAN.  127 

the  journey  to  Nikko  and  the  shrines  of  shoguns  at- 
tractive and  delightful.  To  begin  with,  Nature  had 
done  her  best,  it  would  seem,  to  make  the  country 
most  inviting;  and  this  offering,  certainly,  of  a  gener- 
ous soul  and  admirer  of  the  heroic  dead  adds  greatly 
to  the  glories  and  splendor  of  Nature.  As  the  slant- 
ing sunlight  flickers  through  their  foliage  and  the  cool 
breeze  fans  the  face  of  Nature,  a  voice  says,  This  way 
leads  to  a  silent  city  of  the  most  honored  dead.  Every 
now  and  then  is  a  wayside  altar  or  simple  stone  set  up 
by  reverent  hearts,  that  pilgrims  may  halt  and  worship. 
When  five  miles  distant  our  boys  stop  at  a  tea-house 
for  a  few  moments'  rest,  and  the  opportunity  of  bath- 
ing their  chests  and  heads  and  drinking  a  cup  of  tea. 
The  house  is  in  charge  of  a  lady  of  fine  form  and 
pleasant  face.  Everything  appears  clean  and  neat. 
Beautiful  flowers  are  on  the  stands,  Japanese  pictures 
are  on  the  walls,  and  lanterns  hang  thick  from  the 
ceiling.  Only  five  minutes'  rest  here,  and  then  like 
colts  our  boys  speed  on.  The  flora  is  decidedly  va- 
ried and  prolific.  Bluebells  hang  from  the  ridges,  and 
anemones  peep  out  of  the  hollows.  In  the  distance  are 
the  Nantaizan  Mountains,  whose  sides  are  abrupt  and 
whose  tops  are  pointed.  Time  flies,  and  so  do  our  jin- 
rikishas.  At  Imaichi  another  solemnly  grand  highway 
joins  the  one  we  are  on,  which  had  a  like  origin. 
Those  who  plant  parks  and  adorn  highways  with  trees 
are  certainly  establishing  famous  monuments  to  their 
names. 

Before  sunset  we  are  riding  through  the  extended 
city  of  Nikko.     The  site  of  the  city,  the  shape  of  the 


128  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

houses,  the  steep  wooded  hills,  and  the  roar  of  the 
Daiyagawa  remind  us  of  experiences  among  the  Alps. 
The  houses  are  small  and  low;  the  front  of  nearly 
every  one  is  a  store  or  shop.  The  jack-knife,  lathe, 
and  saw,  and  the  needle,  scissors,  and  crayon  must  be 
dexterously  applied  here.  We  have  no  choice  as  to 
our  stopping-place,  for  there  is  but  one  where  Eng- 
lish foreigners  can  be  accommodated.  As  we  alight 
from  our  carriages,  we  have  been  four  and  a  half  hours 
in  reaching  Nikko  from  Utsunomiya.  The  course  has 
been  ascending  most  of  the  way.  Entering  the  hotel, 
we  are  reminded  still  more  of  Switzerland.  The  wood- 
work is  plain  and  unpainted,  but  clean;  the  partitions 
between  the  rooms  movable.  The  beds  are  on  the 
floor,  the  window-panes  are  paper;  the  water  is  soft, 
the  towels  clean,  the  coolies  pleasant,  the  fare  good,  the 
house  quiet,  and  the  rate  one  dollar  a  day. 

The  scenery  about  Nikko  is  beyond  description. 
The  hills,  vales,  waterfalls,  mammoth  trees,  temples  in 
the  groves,  and  mausoleums  of  the  famous  dead  render 
the  city  attractive  in  winter  and  beautiful  in  summer,  — 
a  shrine  where  priests  linger,  and  a  Mecca  whither  pil- 
grims come  from  all  parts  of  the  world  to  wonder  or 
worship  amid  the  glories  of  Nature  and  the  marvellous 
works  of  man. 

The  Japanese  believe  in  worshipping  men,  especially 
dead  heroes.  Wonderful  stories  they  tell  of  their  Mi- 
kados.  Nearly  every  city  can  point  you  to  its  written 
history,  and  every  province  has  its  encyclopaedia  of 
the  treasured  past.  Neither  will  they  fail  to  inform 
you  of  their  first  written  Bible,  produced  in  the  sixth 


JAPAN.  129 

century,  consisting  of  three  large  volumes,  —  the  first 
treating  of  the  Creation  and  the  events  of  the  holy 
age;  the  second  and  third  of  the  history  of  the 
Mikados  from  660  to  1288  of  the  Christian  era. 
They  are  sure  not  to  forget  to  recount  the  victories 
and  achievements  of  lyeyasu  from  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury to  the  present  time.  They  will  refer  you  also 
to  Jemmu  Tenno,  their  first  Imperial  Mikado,  who 
was  the  fifth  in  descent  from  the  sun-goddess,  and 
therefore  divine,  as  all  the  other  Mikados  have  been, 
being  his  descendants,  making  the  present  one  the 
one  hundred  and  twenty-sixth  in  direct  lineage. 

The  people  dote  upon  their  memorials  as  expressed 
in  martial  implements,  tombs,  and  temples.  Many  of 
them  believe  that  the  Japanese  were  the  first  inhabitants 
of  the  earth,  and  that  therefore  their  country  can  ex- 
hibit what  no  other  can  in  the  way  of  relics  and  antiq- 
uities. So  you  hear  much  about  Mikados,  shoguns, 
daimios,  and  samurai.  Now,  the  shoguns  were  next 
to  the  Mikado  in  authority,  and  were  the  chiefs  of  the 
.daimios,  who  constituted  the  aristocracy,  belonging  to 
the  imperial  family;  and  the  last  were  warriors,  or 
those  who  defended  their  superiors  and  exercised  au- 
thority over  peasants,  artisans,  and  merchants.  This 
was  nothing  less  than  a  feudal  system,  which  reached 
its  climax  in  the  seventeenth  century. 

At  this  period  lydyasu  made  his  appearance.  He 
had  risen  from  obscurity  in  spite  of  severest  opposi- 
tion, placing  himself  in  the  front  rank  of  national  affairs. 
He  was  a  genius,  and  equal  to  the  greatest  emergencies. 
He  was  a  Napoleon  in  the  highest  degree,  coveting 

9 


I3O  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

power,  and  astute  enough  to  cause  others  to  yield  to 
his  sceptre.  Now  behold  him  in  Yeddo,  with  three 
thousand  laborers  to  do  his  bidding.  The  heaviest 
walls  were  laid,  deep  moats  were  dug,  marshes  were 
filled,  boats  floated  on  the  river,  junks  went  out  to 
sea,  castles  were  enlarged,  city  gates  were  strength- 
ened, towers  were  built,  and  a  village  of  a  few  thousand 
inhabitants  in  the  corner  of  the  country  was  soon  in- 
creased to  half  a  million.  This  was  sufficient  to  make 
a  man  great  as  a  ruler  and  a  statesman,  rendering  his 
name  forever  memorable  in  the  hearts  of  his  country- 
men. 

The  Japanese  take  delight  in  describing  the  man 
living  and  the  man  glorified.  They  say  that  in  battle 
lyeyasu  never  said  to  his  soldiers,  "  Go,"  but  leading 
the  van,  would  bid  his  men  "  Come."  When  he  died  all 
mourned  his  death,  and  buried  him  with  sore  lamen- 
tations at  Runo  Zan  in  a  lovely  spot  on  the  side  of  a 
mountain  where  the  cedars  sang  a  requiem  and  the 
roar  of  the  sea  joined  in  the  chorus. 

But  his  son  Hiditada  and  the  nation  could  not  let  his 
remains  rest  there ;  for  the  people  said  the  most  beau- 
tiful spot  of  all  the  earth  is  at  Nikko,  where  the  Shinto 
deity  first  manifested  Buddha  to  the  Japanese.  Ah ! 
they  say,  Nature  here  as  nowhere  else  has  concentrated 
her  beauties  and  glories  into  snowy  peaks,  glassy  lakes, 
and  shady  groves.  Accordingly,  the  son  and  the  peo- 
ple felt  that  the  most  sacred  dust  must  be  deposited  in 
the  most  sacred  place.  So  they  caused  a  grand  mauso- 
leum to  be  builded  high  on  the  mountain-side,  fronting 
the  south  and  overlooking  the  valley  below,  wherein 


JAPAN.  131 

the  city  of  Nikko  is  now  embosomed.  After  the  hon- 
ored ashes  of  lyeyasu  had  slept  a  year  at  Runo  Zan, 
they  were  tenderly  borne  by  daimios  in  gorgeous  pomp 
across  plains,  through  vales,  and  over  hills  to  this  place, 
where  Mikado,  lords,  captains,  and  priests  in  most  sol- 
emn array  received  them;  and  the  Great  Mikado  of 
heroism  and  of  peace  was  deified  as  "  The  Great  Light 
of  the  East,  the  Great  Incarnation  of  Buddha."  For 
three  days  a  choir  of  Buddhist  priests  intoned  their 
most  sacred  dirge  ten  thousand  times. 

The  son  was  not  equal  to  the  great  responsibility  fall- 
ing upon  him,  and  so  did  not  make  his  father's  place 
good  or  preserve  his  nation's  prosperity;  but  his  son 
became  the  ablest  of  all  the  succeeding  Tokugawas,  and 
was  highly  honored  because  he  had  honored  his  na- 
tion and  his  grandsire ;  and  when  he  departed  this  life, 
his  remains  were  entombed  just  below  those  of  the 
great  Iye"yasu. 

Now  it  is  plain  how  and  why  Nikko  should  have  be- 
come such  a  sacred  resort.  Its  name  signifies  "  sunny 
splendors."  Poetry  has  sung  of  its  wondrous  beauties, 
art  has  pictured  it  as  almost  ethereal,  and  Nature  has 
so  commingled  valley,  river,  dell,  fall,  hill,  wood,  and 
mountain  as  to  render  it  surprisingly  beautiful.  Its 
sunrises,  noontides,  and  sunsets  are  described  as  unsur- 
passingly  splendid. 

But  let  us  see  for  ourselves.  As  we  go  into  the  street 
in  the  morning,  we  soon  learn  whither  the  masses  are 
tending.  Faces  are  turned  across  the  river  to  the  forest 
and  towers  on  the  mountain-side.  There  it  was,  so  tra- 
dition says,  on  Notake"  Iwa,  that  Buddha  first  through 


132  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

Shinto  manifested  himself  to  the  dwellers  in  this  pictur- 
esque land.  Walking  half  a  mile,  we  cross  a  new  ver- 
milion bridge  close  by  the  old  Red  Bridge,  which  is 
kept  sacred  and  can  be  crossed  only  by  the  most  holy 
feet.  Now  we  go  up  a  broad  road  faced  with  stone  on 
either  side,  overhung  with  loftiest  evergreens ;  soon  we 
pass  under  a  grand  torii  of  stone,  and  after  this  come 
the  one  hundred  and  eighteen  bronze  lanterns  on  granite 
bases,  each  of  which  has  been  set  up  by  different  donors 
in  honor  of  lyeyasu.  Here,  too,  is  an  offering  of  a 
granite  trough  supplied  with  holy  water,  with  a  roof  set 
upon  stone  pillars  and  adorned  by  a  bell,  a  lantern,  and 
figures  of  rare  workmanship.  A  short  distance  on  is 
a  five-story  pagoda,  finely  carved  and  gilded.  Up  a 
flight  of  stairs  and  we  pass  under  another  exquisitely 
cut  torii  hung  with  costly  trappings,  and  this  brings 
us  to  a  temple  'surrounded  with  a  pebbly  court  and 
decorated  with  carvings  beautifully  set  with  pearls 
and  precious  stones.  From  this  we  climb  another  flight 
of  steps  to  a  gate  adorned  with  serpents  and  Chinese 
dragons.  Well,  we  weary  of  such  display  and  such 
strange  memorials.  There  would  seem  to  be  no  end 
to  the  shrines,  the  temples,  the  torii,  and  the  magnifi- 
cent trees.  After  climbing  and  wandering  we  are  led 
by  a  bonze  to  a  staircase  of  several  hundred  stone  steps, 
moss-covered,  which  we  ascend,  and  lo !  at  the  top 
is  the  sarcophagus  and  tomb  containing  the  ashes  of 
Japan's  most  heroic  dead.  The  tomb  is  of  stone  and 
bronze,  with  a  stone  table  in  front  adorned  with  a  bronze 
stork  and  a  vase  of  lotus  blossoms.  The  tomb  is  over- 
topped with  a  large  bronze  urn.  The  whole  is  enclosed 


A    GREAT    CEDAR,    TORII,    AND    PAGODA. 


JAPAN.  133 

with  a  heavy  wall  of  granite  and  shadowed  with  the 
grandest  evergreens.  In  a  clear  day  the  sunlight  drops 
flickering  sheens  on  this  lofty,  silent  resting-place  of 
lyeyasu.  It  is  verily  a  still  abode.  We  hear  no  rustle 
of  squirrel  in  the  leaves,  no  hum  of  insect  in  the  air,  nor 
even  chirping  of  birds  in  the  treetops.  The  dimness  and 
dampness  nourish  mosses,  ferns  hang  from  the  crevices 
of  the  walls,  and  lichens  feed  on  the  trunks  of  the  trees. 
The  greatest  Hebrew  found  his  grave  on  the  mountain- 
top  ;  so  did  the  greatest  Japanese.  The  former  lived 
and  spoke  for  his  people  and  the  world;  the  latter 
wrought  for  his  own  land  and  people. 

In  descending  from  this  height  we  find  these  funereal 
objects  of  no  less  interest.  We  can  but  marvel  more 
and  more,  as  we  inspect,  and  ask  whence  came  the 
means  and  how  could  men  have  had  patience  to  do  so 
much  that  is  massive  and  intricate.  But  men  have  been 
laboring  here  for  two  hundred  and  seventy  years,  and 
pilgrims  by  the  thousands  have  continued  to  visit  tomb 
and  temple  and  drop  offerings  of  mites  and  fortunes 
into  the  treasury.  Thus  they  seem  bound  to  do  ;  so 
work  of  stone,  wood,  bronze,  and  lacquer  will  be  added 
to  the  already  wondrous  collections. 

Down  the  mountain,  close  by  the  temples  of  lyeyasu, 
are  the  temples  and  tomb  of  lyemitsu ;  magnificent 
these  are,  but  not  so  magnificent  as  the  former.  These 
are  more  crowded  with  gods,  and  highly  covered  with 
grotesque  figures.  Qods  of  thunder,  terrors  of  wind, 
and  demons  of  fury  sit  by  gates  and  shrines  and  tomb. 
These  idols  are  remarkable  for  showing  their  teeth. 
The  carvings  in  stone  and  wood  and  bronze  are  won- 


134  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

derful.  But  the  flowers  and  vegetation  are,  after  all,  a 
thousand  times  more  attractive.  The  needles  of  the 
pine,  the  plumage  of  the  bamboo,  the  gentian  blossoms, 
and  the  monstrous  lotus-pads  are  far  more  interesting 
than  the  tawdry  display  of  man.  In  them  there  are  no 
false  shapes  or  colors.  But  fascination  is  sure  to  brood 
over  this  mountain-side.  The  works  of  God  and  man 
will  continue  to  render  it  memorable.  For  centuries  it 
will  be  sought  and  reverenced.  This,  of  all  other  re- 
treats in  Japan,  is,  and  is  to  remain,  the  place  of  heroic 
worship. 

At  this  moment  one  of  the  sweetest-toned  bells  strikes 
the  hour  of  five.  The  day  has  been  somewhat  overcast, 
but  the  slanting  rays  of  the  sun  are  gilding  the  tips  of 
the  mountains  with  gold.  As  we  come  into  an  open 
space  and  look  around,  we  can  but  exclaim,  How  diver- 
sified and  stupendous  are  the  works  of  God !  Surely 
here  he  has  concentrated  and  combined  the  beautiful, 
the  grand,  the  peaceful,  and  the  sublime  in  a  peculiar 
manner !  The  roar  of  waterfalls,  the  glimpse  of  tem- 
ples in  the  dark  forests,  the  Japanese  houses,  and  the 
Nikkoan  people  conspire  to  render  this  an  enchanted 
city,  where  priests  delight  to  dwell  and  the  greatest  of 
the  Tokugawas  lie  entombed.  Let  it  continue  to  be 
a  place  of  sacred  memories,  and  pictured  as  green  in 
the  coldest  winter  and  cool  in  the  hottest  summer,  with 
balmy  skies,  filled  with  the  music  of  chiming  bells. 

A  walk  of  twelve  miles  from  Nikko  to  Yumoto  Lake 
affords  one  a  good  idea  of  mountain  life  in  this  land. 
The  course  is  west  and  north.  For  a  few  miles  it  is 
along  the  current  of  the  Daiyawa,  zigzagging  among 


JAPAN.  135 

stones  and  trees.  We  pass  through  several  villages, 
rural  and  romantic.  Though  quaint  and  simple,  the 
people  seem  to  be  kind  and  honest.  The  tea-shops 
are  plenteous,  and  cordially  welcome  strangers.  In  the 
summer  there  are  many  pleasure-seekers  who  travel  this 
way  because  of  the  scenery  and  the  refreshing  breezes, 
but  in  this  late  autumn-time  the  natives  find  recreation 
in  the  valleys  and  the  more  sunny  regions.  However, 
now  and  then  we  fall  in  with  a  kago,  which  is  the  com- 
mon vehicle  of  the  hilly  country,  transporting  a  woman 
or  an  aged  man.  In  one  instance  we  meet  a  gentleman 
on  horseback.  His  animal  does  not  resemble  the  fine 
Morgans  of  Vermont  or  the  English  trotters.  As  we 
get  on  half  the  distance,  it  is  wild  indeed.  The  way 
becomes  steeper,  crossing  and  recrossing  streams  leap- 
ing down  their  stony  beds.  The  basalt  ledges  pro- 
trude from  the  hillsides;  the  chestnuts,  maples,  oaks, 
and  basswoods  stand  strong  and  thick  much  of  the  way. 
All  of  a  sudden,  on  gaining  a  height,  two  beautiful 
waterfalls  greet  the  eye,  throwing  out  their  spray  and 
arching  the  deep  gulf  with  numberless  rainbows.  The 
Japanese  speak  of  these  falls  as  among  the  most  re- 
markable. It  is  true  that  large  sheets  of  water  do  roll 
over  the  precipices,  but  they  fade  into  insignificance 
when  compared  to  thousands  we  have  in  America. 
Soon  we  wind  and  climb  hundreds  of  steps  up  an 
otherwise  impassable  mountain-side.  The  underbrush 
becomes  thicker  and  thicker.  The  backward  look  more 
than  compensates  for  the  tugging  and  sweating.  We 
take  a  side  road  for  a  mile  or  two,  to  look  upon  more 
falls  which  fully  compensate  for  the  trouble.  These 


136  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

are  peculiarly  wild.  The  foaming  tide  falls  many  feet 
below  our  position,  sending  up  the  roar  of  many  waters. 
Then,  too,  the  huge  basin  is  edged  and  fretted  with 
ferns  and  flowers. 

From  this  point  the  path  to  Yumoto  is  through 
jungles  of  hydrangeas,  azaleas,  and  blooming  shrubs. 
Soon  coming  to  the  lakeshore,  the  picture  is  thrilling. 
Verily,  here  are  waters  among  the  mountain-tops ! 
The  lake  must  be  ten  miles  long  and  from  one  to  five 
wide.  The  sides  of  the  mountains  rise  up  wooded  and 
steep.  As  the  sunlight  glints  the  water,  mountains  and 
woods  are  in  the  depths  as  well  as  on  the  heights. 
How  singular  that  we  can  look  upon  this  glassy  sur- 
face and  discover  mirrored  there  the  sky,  the  clouds, 
and  the  varied  landscape !  God  has  made  all  things 
beautiful,  and  given  us  eyes  to  see  them. 

At  length  we  come  to  a  lone  village  hanging  upon 
the  sides  of  Shiraneyama  and  dipping  down  to  the 
water's  edge.  The  houses  are  built  of  reddish  cedar, 
shaped  for  the  most  part  with  the  axe  and  handsaw. 
The  people  look  smiling  and  happy.  How  little  they 
know  of  the  outside  world !  In  the  simple  hotel,  which 
is  a  tea-house,  we  are  kindly  waited  upon  and  served  to 
the  best  the  mistress  has,  which  is  rice,  trout,  and  tea. 
Boats  have  just  come  to  the  shore  with  parties  who  have 
been  dropping  the  hook  and  taking  out  trout  which  will 
weigh  from  eight  ounces  to  three  pounds.  There  must 
be  a  hundred  of  these  shining  beauties.  A  sight  like  this 
can  but  stir  the  blood  of  every  one  who  has  any  fondness 
for  the  famous  Izaak  Walton,  making  him  feel  that  he 
would  delight  to  cast  the  line  and  pull  out  such  fish. 


JAPAN.  137 

In  the  winter  the  snow  falls  here  ten  feet  deep,  and 
so  in  the  fall  the  people  wrap  up  their  houses  with  rush 
matting,  roof  and  all,  and  descend  into  the  valleys,  there 
remaining  till  May,  when  they  return  with  joy  to  this 
little  village  overshadowed  by  a  mountain  eight  and  a 
half  thousand  feet  high.  Oh,  there  is  something  about 
the  lakes  and  mountains,  the  world  over,  that  does  en- 
chant and  rest  and  invigorate ! 

In  the  all-day  ramble  we  have  seen  but  few  birds, 
although  we  heard  several  pheasants  drumming.  We 
have  seen  no  snakes  or  wild  beasts,  and  have  not  been 
bitten  by  any  insects. 

This  lake  is  wilder  than  Como,  as  abruptly  hemmed 
in  by  mountains  as  Lucerne,  as  wild  as  Lake  George, 
and  as  fully  clothed  with  legends  as  Katrine.  As  the 
ages  roll  on,  it  will  be  sought  and  admired. 

Coming  to  Kobe  from  the  sea,  is  somewhat  like  en- 
tering the  Bay  of  Naples.  The  water  is  inviting,  and 
the  houses  stand  round  the  bay.  Kobe  is  the  new  part 
of  the  city,  and  Hiogo  the  old.  The  population  of  each 
is  about  the  same,  having  in  both  some  eighty  thousand. 
This  is  the  seaport  for  a  large  section  of  country  and 
for  several  large  cities.  It  takes  two  days  to  reach  it 
by  steamer  from  Yokohama,  sailing  south  and  west. 
The  bay  is  overlooked  by  a  concave  range  of  high 
billowy  hills.  Upon  their  flanks  and  on  the  level  by  the 
sea  stands  the  city.  Enter  Kobe,  walk  the  streets,  go 
through  the  stores  and  hotels,  and  you  feel  as  though 
you  must  be  in  England  or  in  America;  but  cross  the 
bridge  into  Hiogo  and  you  realize  most  fully  you  are 
not  yet  out  of  Japan. 


138  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

Taking  the  cars  here  for  the  north,  in  the  course  of 
an  hour  you  are  in  the  largest  plain  of  the  whole  coun- 
try. It  is  said  that  there  are  scattered  over  it  more 
than  a  thousand  villages  and  cities.  But  it  appears  to 
be  one  vast  field  of  rice,  yellow  for  the  harvest.  Still, 
as  we  inspect  it  more  closely,  we  see  patches  green  with 
recently  sown  wheat,  large  fields  planted  out  with  tea, 
cotton-plants  crowned  with  their  snowy  bolls,  and  gar- 
dens rich  with  varieties  of  vegetables.  Men  and  women 
are  scattered  throughout  the  wide  domain,  taking  off 
crops  and  planting  others.  Some  are  spading  up  the 
soil,  or  breaking  it  up  with  the  heifer  or  the  horse; 
others  are  putting  in  the  seed,  and  still  others  dropping 
compost  from  the  basket.  Every  foot  of  arable  soil 
appears  to  be  improved.  Along  the  streams  the  wil- 
low and  eucalyptus  thrive ;  on  some  of  the  knolls  are 
groves  of  pine,  maple,  and  oak.  This  level  region  must 
measure  thirty  by  fifteen  miles. 

This  is  the  part  of  the  country  in  which  to  study  the 
farming  interests.  It  was  a  blessing  to  Japan  when  the 
castle  gave  place  to  the  palace,  and  the  emperor  sup- 
planted the  feudal  lord.  Since  the  revolution  of  1870, 
and  the  institution  of  the  present  form  of  government, 
rapid  progress  has  been  made  in  agricultural  methods. 
In  a  few  instances  sheep  have  been  introduced,  horses 
have  multiplied,  cows  are  feeding  in  the  pastures,  and 
oxen  turning  the  furrows.  Still  on  only  a  few  farms  will 
you  find  ploughs,  carts,  reapers,  and  other  implements 
so  common  in  our  country.  In  this  land,  through  the 
aid  of  the  Agricultural  College,  apple  and  pear  trees 
and  vines  have  been  planted,  and  are  doing  well. 


JAPAN.  139 

Formerly  the  land  was  owned  altogether  by  the 
Mikado  and  rented  to  tillers.  The  ruler  was  sure  to 
get  the  lion's  share,  and  the  daimios  would  come  in  for 
theirs ;  so  that  the  peasant  would  not  have  more  than 
a  fourth  of  all  raised  in  the  most  favorable  season,  and 
in  case  of  a  drought  he  would  be  obliged  to  give  up 
all  he  raised  and  even  beg  for  himself.  But  at  present 
his  taxes  are  not  so  burdensome,  and  in  the  course  of  a 
few  years  he  will  be  likely  to  have  his  little  farm  of  five 
or  ten  acres  in  his  own  possession.  However,  he  can 
own  only  the  soil.  If  mines  of  gold  and  coal  are  found 
on  his  possessions,  the  Government  claims  them.  Most 
of  the  farmers  live  in  hamlets;  still  some  have  their 
homes  on  the  land  they  cultivate.  It  is  safe  for  them 
to  live  isolated,  if  they  choose.  It  is  quite  different  here 
from  what  it  is  in  Spain  or  Asia  Minor ;  for  there  the 
people  are  obliged  to  dwell  in  communities  for  self-pro- 
tection. The  true  wealth  of  Japan  lies  in  her  agricultural 
resources,  and  not  in  her  mines  and  manufactures.  Is 
not  this  true  of  our  own  country?  Dispense  with  the 
farms,  East  and  West,  and  our  wealth  and  national 
strength  would  soon  be  gone.  The  present  Mikado 
takes  a  decided  interest  in  the  advancement  of  agricul- 
ture. This  is  another  fact  to  show  that  the  country  has 
a  bright  future  before  it. 

The  soil  of  the  intervals  and  valleys,  composed  of 
vegetable  and  volcanic  products,  is  dark  and  rich.  The 
uplands  and  mountain-sides  are  grassed  and  wooded. 
The  grasses  differ  considerably  from  ours,  though  the 
clovers  and  red-top  are  common.  The  lowlands  are 
well  watered  by  countless  streams  from  the  mountains. 


140  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

It  would  seem  that  the  system  of  irrigation  has  reached 
a  state  of  perfection  in  many  parts  of  this  country. 

As  we  examine  the  fields  more  closely,  we  find  that 
they  are  small  and  that  the  rice-plats  occupy  the  lowest 
ground.  These  plats,  before  seeding  takes  place,  are 
mellowed  and  made  very  level,  bordered  with  a  ridge 
of  earth  and  topped  with  grass-sods,  which  serve  as 
dams  and  walks.  Now  the  water  is  let  into  them 
through  a  gateway  so  as  to  gauge  it  just  right.  In 
the  rainy  season  the  water  from  the  rivers  is  entirely 
shut  out. 

The  rice  is  sown  in  small  beds,  and  when  up  some 
two  inches,  is  transplanted  to  the  field  where  it  is  to 
grow.  Small  bunches  of  blades  are  set  ten  inches 
apart.  As  soon  as  this  is  done,  water  is  let  into  the 
plat,  and  the  roots  are  kept  covered  with  it  till  a  short 
time  previous  to  harvest,  when  it  is  entirely  shut  out. 

The  rice-straw  usually  grows  fifteen  inches  high. 
The  crop  that  is  now  being  harvested  shows  a  good 
yield,  judging  from  the  drooping  of  the  heads.  The 
reapers  are  thick  in  the  fields,  cutting  up  and  binding 
the  straw  into  small  bundles  and  hanging  them  upon 
bamboo  poles  to  dry;  those  already  dry  are  being 
threshed  in  the  road  that  runs  through  the  meadow; 
or  in  some  cases  women  with  babes  upon  their  backs 
are  taking  up  handfuls  of  straw,  and  are  drawing  the 
heads  of  the  rice  through  an  iron  comb  which  shells 
out  the  kernels.  As  we  look  into  a  dooryard  we  see 
a  woman  winnowing  the  rice  by  throwing  it  into  the 
air  and  letting  the  wind  blow  out  the  chaff.  Then, 
again,  we  see  a  man  winnowing  with  an  old-fashioned 


JAPAN.  141 

machine,  and  close  by  him  are  three  coolies  grinding 
rice  by  turning  a  stone  by  a  lever  upon  another  stone. 
There  are  mills  driven  by  water;  but  much  of  the  grind- 
ing, especially  back  in  the  country,  is  done  by  hand. 
In  fields  where  the  rice  has  been  off  long  enough  to 
have  the  ground  dry,  they  are  being  broken  up  again 
for  sowing  wheat.  The  wheat  is  sown  the  same  as  the 
rice,  but  is  hilled  up  some  three  inches. 

As  already  stated,  the  farm  here  does  not  embrace  a 
large  area.  On  an  average  an  acre  of  land  will  support 
four  persons,  as  people  live  in  this  country.  Five  cents 
a  day  will  feed  a  farmer.  Rice  and  tea  with  a  little  fish 
constitute  his  breakfast,  dinner,  and  supper;  and  his 
clothes  cost  but  a  trifle. 

On  slightly  higher  land  than  that  for  rice  are  tea- 
fields,  whose  plants  are  bushy  and  two  to  three  feet  high 
when  three  years  old.  These  plants  are  perennial,  and 
the  older  the  plants  the  better  the  leaves.  Women  and 
children  are  culling  and  picking  the  green  leaves,  which 
.are  afterward  dried  in  the  sun,  and  then  are  ready  for 
use.  This  is  green  tea ;  but  if  it  is  to  be  shipped  across 
the  sea,  then  it  is  put  through  a  process  of  firming,  as 
it  is  called,  in  order  to  withstand  the  effects  of  the  salt 
water.  The  black  tea  is  picked  from  the  same  plants ; 
the  leaves  are  older,  and  while  drying  pass  through  a 
stage  of  fermentation  which  turns  them  dark. 

Going  upon  ground  still  higher,  we  are  in  cotton- 
fields,  where  men  and  women  are  gathering  the  bolls, 
which  are  not  large  or  abundant. 

The  peasants  say  they  cannot  grow  cotton  here  as  it 
is  grown  in  America.  In  this  part  of  the  country  they 


142  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

usually  raise  two  crops  of  the  cereals  a  year.  If  the 
first  is  rice,  the  second  will  be  wheat  or  millet. 

The  farmers  are  not  only  particular  to  irrigate,  but 
also  to  enrich  their  soil.  The  cultivation  of  rice  is  very 
exhausting  to  the  land,  and  so  they  take  care  to  make 
all  the  composts  possible  and  secure  all  they  can  from 
villages  and  cities,  either  in  a  solid  or  fluid  state.  This 
work  of  transferring  the  waste  from  the  houses  is  done 
daily.  Care  is  taken  in  the  hotels  and  private  dwellings 
to  save  the  offal  for  the  night-scavengers,  to  be  borne 
off  to  enrich  the  soil.  We  can  but  admire  the  industry 
and  frugality  of  the  Japanese  farmer;  however,  we  must 
regret  that  he  holds  so  tenaciously  to  ancient  customs 
in  doing  his  work.  You  find  him  peaceful,  unless  you 
attempt  to  infringe  upon  his  landed  rights,  and  then  he 
is  ready  to  fight  you  unto  death  in  self-defence. 

In  nearly  the  centre  of  this  plain  is  Osaka,  which  for- 
merly was  called  the  Venice  of  Japan,  because  of  its 
numerous  canals  running  through  the  city,  but  latterly 
has  been  denominated  the  Manchester  of  the  Mikado's 
dominion.  Well,  it  is  a  city  of  three  hundred  thousand 
inhabitants,  living  mostly  in  one-story  buildings,  joined 
together  save  where  the  water  divides  them.  They 
are  made  of  wood  and  roofed  with  tiling.  The  streets 
are  narrow,  but  tolerably  smooth,  so  that  the  jinrikishas 
can  fly  back  and  forth  without  any  obstruction.  Riding 
through  the  city,  you  discover  little  besides  stores  and 
shops.  You  can  but  query  as  to  how  the  people  live. 
But  as  you  see  their  naked  feet  and  limbs,  you  conclude 
it  does  not  cost  them  much  for  clothing,  and  then,  as 
you  observe  them  in  the  morning,  at  noon,  and  in  the 


JAPAN.  143 

evening  eating  their  frugal  mess  of  rice  and  fish  and 
drinking  their  tiny  cup  of  tea,  you  decide  it  does  not 
cost  them  much  to  live. 

This  is  an  old  city,  though  it  has  been  several  times 
nearly  destroyed  by  fire  and  flood.  In  its  centre  stands 
an  imposing  structure.  This  is  the  mint  of  the  Empire, 
signifying  something  nobler  than  castellated  bulwarks. 
It  is  one  of  the  largest  mints  of  the  world. 

Here,  too,  is  the  principal  fitting-school  for  the  State 
University.  It  sustains  about  the  same  relation  to  this 
institution  that  Exeter  Academy  does  to  Harvard  Uni- 
versity, or  Eton  to  Oxford.  There  is  also  a  State 
Normal  School  here,  having  more  than  five  hundred 
students  in  attendance. 

The  largest  cotton-mills  of  the  country  are  in  this  city. 
Thirty  years  ago  there  was  not  a  cotton-spinning  mill  in 
the  country ;  now  there  are  twenty  in  successful  opera- 
tion, and  half  of  that  number  are  in  this  city,  with  forty 
thousand  spindles,  representing  a  capital  of  a  million 
dollars. 

Silks  are  manufactured  in  Osaka  and  the  neighboring 
villages,  and  likewise  porcelain  and  bronze  ware. 

Now,  here  is  a  fact  of  importance  to  us.  The  ma- 
chinery for  these  mills  was  purchased  in  England ;  not 
a  single  spindle  or  lathe  came  from  our  country.  The 
same  is  true  of  the  railroad  iron,  —  it  has  been  brought 
from  Great  Britain  and  Germany. 

Now,  in  1885  the  exports  of  our  country  amounted  to 
$37>i37>345>  and  the  imports  to  $29,356,967.  The  fol- 
lowing year  the  exports  amounted  to  $48,875,471,  and 
the  imports  to  $32,169,432,  showing  a  gain  in  trade 


144  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

during  one  year  of  more  than  $14,000,000.  Now,  the 
share  our  nation  had  in  this  trade  was  as  follows :  it  pur- 
chased from  Japan  goods  to  the  amount  of  $16,000,000, 
and  sold  to  the  country  $3,000,000  worth  of  goods, 
giving  a  balance  of  $13,000,000  to  Japan;  while  Great 
Britain  sold  during  the  same  time  to  Japan  $12,000,000 
worth,  and  purchased  from  her  $4,000,000  worth  of 
goods,  giving  England  a  balance  of  $8,000,000.  The 
sales  of  Great  Britain  were  confined  mostly  to  cotton 
and  iron  manufactures.  Now,  it  is  known  the  United 
States  produces  more  than  half  of  the  cotton  grown  on 
the  globe,  and  should  she  not  be  able  to  convert  it  into 
cloth  and  furnish  it  to  Japan  as  cheap  as  England  can, 
since  she  first  carries  the  cotton  across  the  Atlantic  and 
then  converts  it  into  cloth  and  conveys  it  sixteen  hun- 
dred miles,  while  we  could  get  the  same  into  the  coun- 
try by  shipping  it  not  more  than  one  thousand  miles? 
The  same  facts  are  true  of  iron.  So,  then,  does  it  not 
behoove  our  country  to  take  steps  at  once  to  furnish 
Japan  with  more  goods? 

England  pushes  her  sales  here;  why  should  not 
America?  We  have  the  advantage  over  any  other 
country  in  some  respects.  The  Japanese  have  adopted 
our  post-office  system,  are  modelling  their  schools 
after  ours,  have  established  their  Agricultural  College 
on  an  American  basis,  and  are  holding  our  missionaries 
in  highest  esteem.  This  shows  that  the  Japanese  are 
favorably  inclined  to  our  country,  and  would  be  ready 
to  buy  of  us  if  they  could  do  as  well  as  with  the  Eng- 
lish. We  have  fallen  in  with  different  agents  from 
Great  Britain,  who  are  here  on  purpose  to  make 


JAPAN.  145 

sales,  but  we  have  not  chanced  to  meet  one  from  our 
country. 

Some  twenty  miles  to  the  north  from  Osaka  is  Kioto, 
with  a  population  of  three  hundred  thousand.  It  has 
the  right  to  claim  great  beauty  of  situation.  It  is  like 
onyx,  jasper,  and  agate  in  emerald  setting.  Its  natu- 
ral beauty  cannot  be  surpassed  in  this  land  of  the 
beautiful  and  sublime.  The  Kumo  River  meanders 
round  the  southern  part,  into  which  flow  other  streams, 
and  rushes  on  to  the  sea  as  the  grand  Yodo. 

The  old  portions  of  the  city  are  on  a  plain  in  whose 
centre  stands  the  Old  Palace.  In  the  palmy  days  of 
Shinto-Buddhism  this  was  a  most  attractive  place. 
Ruler  and  subject  were  deeply  interested  in  the  spread 
of  their  religion.  Hosts  of.  men  were  rilled  with  char- 
ity, and  were  glad  to  invest  in  behalf  of  their  god.  So 
temples  soon  covered  a  hundred  acres  to  the  north,  and 
were  set  thick  on  the  wooded  mountain-side  to  the  east. 
It  was  not  long  before  two  thousand  temples  adorned 
the  city.  Huge  walls  were  builded,  and  pagodas  raised. 
On  certain  occasions  the  people  from  all  the  land 
flocked  together  in  this  capital  of  the  nation,  having 
brought  precious  metals,  that  at  a  particular  signal 
they  might  be  thrown  into  a  great  caldron  under  which 
the  fires  were  burning  red.  Then,  all  expectant,  priest 
and  common  worshipper  would  send  up  earnest  pray- 
ers, as  the  precious  things  were  becoming  molten,  that 
the  mass  might  be  sufficient  to  fill  the  mould  to  the 
brim,  making  a  bell  of  five  tons,  or  more,  in  weight. 
Whenever  there  was  a  lack  of  material  to  render  the 
bell  complete,  hearts  would  agonize,  priests  would  rush 

10 


146  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

among  the  throngs,  entreating,  "  Give,  give  !  "  and  gold 
and  silver  would  be  stripped  from  hands,  heads,  and  al- 
tars and  thrown  into  the  remolten  mass ;  and  when  the 
casting  was  done  this  time,  it  would  be  complete,  pro- 
ducing a  bell  to  send  out  near  and  far  mellowest  and 
strongest  tones,  calling  the  masses  to  praise  Buddha. 

Kioto  was  a  city  of  temples  and  religious  influence. 
The  thirteenth  century  came,  and  Buddhism  was  in  its 
glory  in  this  land  of  vales  and  hills  and  mountains  and 
propitious  skies.  Kioto  was  the  ideal  city,  and  from 
afar  pilgrims  would  make  long  journeys  to  it  that  they 
might  look  upon  the  divine  Mikado  and  his  wonderful 
array  of  shrines.  Could  they  do  this  but  once,  they  felt 
quite  sure  of  being  finally  absorbed  into  Buddha. 

The  city  had  reached  its  zenith  as  the  fourteenth  cen- 
tury came,  and  in  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  lye- 
yasu  came  into  power  through  dramatic  acts,  and  during 
his  reign  the  fading  laurels  of  Kioto  were  transferred 
to  Yeddo,  now  Tokio.  Since  that  event  Kioto  has  been 
living  upon  the  past.  It  has  been  honored  for  its  an- 
tiquities. Its  moss-covered  walls,  its  tarnished  altars, 
its  decaying  temples,  its  faded  pagodas,  its  crumbling 
tombs,  its  unburnished  bells,  its  dwindling  priesthood, 
its  scattering  worshippers,  all  emphasize  the  past. 

In  spite  of  this,  it  is  still  a  city  of  enchantment.  It 
abounds  in  quaint  nooks  and  peaceful  retreats.  Hither 
the  rambler  can  come  and  find  pleasant  resorts,  the 
poet  can  find  his  Muse  by  shady  walks,  the  artist  can 
sketch  fairest  views,  and  the  scholar  can  rest  in  medita- 
tive groves. 

If  one  would  see  the  effects  of  Shintoism  and  Buddh- 


JAPAN.  147 

ism,  let  him  come  hither  and  wander  among  these 
temples,  so  thickly  set  along  the  mountain-side  and 
shaded  by  oaks  and  cedars,  observing  the  shaven-pated 
priests,  looking  upon  the  vast  wooden  wings  of  Dai 
Butsu,  the  many  gorgeous  torii,  the  magnificent  bells, 
the  numerous  rows  of  gods  in  the  temples,  watching 
those  who  come  to  pay  their  votive  offerings  and  bow 
in  prayer,  and  he  will  discover  that  if  these  religions 
did  once  have  great  power  over  minds  and  hearts,  they 
have  lost  their  grip  now  and  have  become  nearly  life- 
less. Because  of  spiritual  hunger,  countenances  are 
downcast  and  hearts  are  distressed. 

As  we  walk  through  the  city  we  are  pleased  with  the 
regularity  of  its  streets,  though  they  are  but  a  few  feet 
wide.  As  we  look  into  the  simple  homes  we  find  them 
chairless  and  bedless ;  still  the  occupants  seem  content 
with  their  rice,  fish,  and  harmless  knick-knacks.  If 
wages  are  low,  most  of  the  people  have  busy  hands. 

Kioto  is  the  Florence  of  Japan.  Here  are  rude 
studios,  where  exquisite  works  in  bronze,  stone,  and  on 
silk  are  being  wrought.  Curious  pictures  of  storks, 
chrysanthemums,  irises,  lotuses,  peonies,  bamboos, 
cherry-blossoms,  grasshoppers,  and  butterflies,  with 
many  other  things,  are  to  be  seen  painted  on  silk  or 
paper  hanging  on  the  walls,  or  worked  into  gold,  sil- 
ver, or  bronze  standing  on  the  counters. 

The  Japanese  are  born  with  a  fondness  for  beauty 
and  gracefulness.  This  is  certain  to  be  expressed  in 
some  shape  in  the  poorest  homes. 

Kiotoans  perhaps  excel  in  the  inlaid  bronzes,  or 
bronzes  with  reliefs  in  silver  and  gold.  But  their  rep- 


148  ROUND   THE  GLOBE. 

resentations  of  human  forms  are  likely  to  be  far  from 
the  real. 

When  there  are  so  many  pretty  and  beautiful  things, 
how  one  naturally  longs  to  make  presents  to  the  dear 
ones  far  away.  But  the  lack  of  money,  the  custom- 
houses, and  the  trouble  of  carnage  are  certain  to  thwart 
and  disappoint.  Still  it  is  a  joy  to  see  the  charming 
objects. 

Usually  near  the  palace  is  the  hut  and  also  the 
prison;  so  in  this  city,  as  well  as  in  others,  are  jails 
and  prisons.  Most  of  them  are  filled  with  inmates. 
Still,  the  prison-birds  are  not  so  numerous  here  as  in 
countries  where  alcohol  is  freely  drunk.  The  Japanese 
laws  are  quite  lenient  as  to  children  and  the  aged  who 
have  committed  crime,  but  are  severe  in  penalties  for 
others.  There  are  ten  degrees  of  punishment  which 
may  receive  from  ten  to  one  hundred  days'  imprison- 
ment, and  ten  others  which  receive  from  one  year  of 
penal  service  to  that  of  a  lifetime.  The  trials  are  not 
public,  but  consist  of  a  series  of  private  examinations 
of  the  accused,  and  the  witnesses  for  and  against  the 
arraigned. 

Wilful  murder  is  punished  with  death,  whether  it  be 
that  of  an  infant  or  of  an  adult.  The  punishment  for 
common  robbery  is  imprisonment  for  life.  Lovers  in 
the  act  of  committing  suicide  are  put  to  hard  labor  in 
prison  for  ten  years.  Dealing  in  opium  is  forbidden, 
under  pain  of  being  beheaded ;  and  those  inciting  oth- 
ers to  use  it  are  liable  to  be  hanged.  Gambling  is  not 
allowed,  and  those  who  indulge  in  it  find  it  difficult  to 
escape  a  term  of  imprisonment. 


JAPAN.  149 

The  present  judicial  system  is  not  giving  satisfac- 
tion to  the  Government.  The  movements  of  the  age 
require  reform  in  modes  of  trial,  punishment,  and  prison 
discipline. 

To  the  rear  of  the  temples  along  the  hillsides  are 
cemeteries  of  striking  contrast.  Some  of  them  are  in 
good  order,  with  headstones  erect,  and  graves  decked 
with  flowers;  while  others  are  neglected,  the  gate- 
ways gone,  and  the  mounds  unmarked.  They  are 
densely  shaded  with  evergreens.  Those  frequently  vis- 
ited are  usually  supplied  with  a  shrine  for  worship  and 
vases  for  flowers.  Here,  as  well  as  elsewhere  in  the 
land,  the  burying-grounds  are  dilapidated.  Is  not  this 
likely  to  be  the  case  when  the  religion  is  on  the  de- 
cline? The  torii  that  mark  the  resting-places  of  birds, 
and  the  stone  lanterns  too,  were  most  of  them  erected 
centuries  ago.  As  the  religious  hope  has  waned,  so  has 
the  care  for  the  "  cities  of  the  dead." 

Some  twelve  years  ago  there  came  from  New  Eng- 
land a  Christian  scholar  who,  in  connection  with  a  na- 
tive teacher  that  had  been  educated  in  our  country, 
opened  a  school  in  this  city*  Persecution  threatened 
his  life  at  first,  but  he  worked  on,  holding  fast  to  the 
unfailing  Hand.  Students  multiplied  and  were  enno- 
bled in  life  and  thought.  The  people  at  large  by  and 
by  could  but  see  that  a  worthy  institution  was  rising 
in  their  midst  which  would  prove  to  be  a  guiding 
beacon  to  their  city.  Expressed  opposition  was  with- 
drawn erelong,  and  the  school  developed  into  a  col- 
lege ;  and  now  there  are  in  it  more  than  two  hundred 
students,  with  a  corps  of  seven  able  professors,  who  are 


150  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

training  the  students  to  go  forth  to  teach  and  live 
Christianity.  The  school  made  way  for  a  church  that 
now  owns  a  fine  edifice,  and  has  been  instrumental  in 
planting  in  different  parts  of  the  city  other  church 
branches.  It  has  also  called  forth  a  prosperous  girls' 
school  and  a  flourishing  boys'  school.  Still  more  than 
this,  it  has  brought  into  existence  a  large  hospital,  a 
training  institution  for  nurses,  and  an  elegant  library 
building  which  is  being  fast  supplied  with  books.  At 
the  dedication  of  the  last  three  buildings  the  Governor 
of  the  district,  the  Mayor  of  the  city,  members  of  the 
City  Council,  and  the  President  of  the  Native  Medical 
Society  participated.  So,  while  these  gentlemen  have 
made  no  profession  of  Christianity,  nevertheless  in  word 
and  deed  they  have  welcomed  it  to  their  country  and 
their  city. 

Now  these  buildings  are  all  paid  for,  and  it  is  be- 
lieved they  will  be  self-supporting.  The  Christian  mis- 
sion work  in  this  city  from  the  beginning  has  been 
mainly  self-supporting. 

The  students  of  the  college  are  from  different  parts 
of  the  Empire.  Already  it  has  sent  forth  more  than 
sixty  graduates  who,  as  teachers,  preachers,  and  phy- 
sicians, are  spreading  Christianity.  The  college  cur- 
riculum is  quite  full,  and  the  professors  are  determined 
upon  doing  thorough  work.  The  institution  is  favora- 
bly situated,  being  between  the  Buddhist  temples  on 
the  north  and  the  palace  where  the  reigning  Mikados 
lived  for  a  thousand  years,  and  where  the  present  Mi- 
kado was  born. 

It  is  refreshing  to  meet  with  such  workers   in   the 


JAPAN.  151 

Master's  cause.  A  bright  day  is  dawning  upon  the 
Sunrise  Land  when  Christianity  shall  hold  sway.  It 
has  already  so  far  advanced  as  to  be  a  certainty  in  no 
distant  future.  Still,  no  one  of  experience  here  feels 
that  it  is  to  come  next  year  or  in  ten  years.  But  the 
Christian  workers  do  know  that  their  labors  are  being 
appreciated,  and  that  the  Government  protects  them, 
and  does  rejoice  in  their  influence  to  improve  the  peo- 
ple and  the  country.  It  no  longer  allows  any  sign- 
boards to  be  posted  in  the  city  or  country  proscribing 
Christianity,  as  was  formerly  the  case. 

Twenty  thousand  Christian  communicants  even  now 
are  connected  with  the  various  missions,  and  are  in- 
creasing at  the  rate  of  five  hundred  a  month. 

The  Japanese  are  an  intellectual  people,  and  so  have 
come  to  ignore  Buddhism,  and  may  we  not  say  every 
religion?  For  this  reason  they  have  fallen  into  the 
egregious  sins  of  dishonesty  and  sensuality,  as  is  so 
liable  to  be  the  case  with  irreligious  and  intellectual 
people.  To  lift  them  from  this  state  of  depravity  will 
require  persistent  toil,  and  time,  and  work  of  just  the 
right  kind. 

Japan  is  astir  with  the  anticipation  of  the  good  time 
coming  in  1890  when  she  shall  have  adopted  a  Consti- 
tution, and  the  people  shall  virtually  rule  the  land.  The 
Mikado  and  Cabinet  are  striving  to  this  end.  Educa- 
tion is  being  made  the  basis  of  progress.  The  different 
political  parties  are  well  organized  and  equipped  with 
newspapers,  clubs,  and  public  representatives,  speak- 
ing and  acting  with  reference  to  the  goal  of  1890.  The 
intelligent  masses  are  reading  and  thinking,  and  appear 


152  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

determined  to  do  the  best  possible  thing  for  their  beloved 
Japan.  Religious  liberty  is  allowed  to  all.  Really  the 
guiding  spirit  seems  to  be  Christian.  Japan  hitherto 
was  never  making  history  as  at  present.  This  is  classic 
and  unique,  bespeaking  more  hope  than  fear,  more  good 
than  evil.  Let  the  glad  time  speedily  come,  rendering 
the  peasant,  merchant,  mechanic,  artist,  and  scholar 
wiser  and  truly  Christian ! 

The  missionary  cause  has  got  a  strong  footing  in  most 
of  the  larger  cities.  The  idea  of  sect  is  not  being  mag- 
nified as  formerly;  for  the  missionaries  learned  from 
experience  that  their  work  was  impeded  whenever  and 
wherever  they  made  sectarianism  prominent.  So  the 
different  denominations  are  aiming  to  be  known  as 
Christians,  rather  than  as  Congregationalists  or  Metho- 
dists or  Baptists  or  Presbyterians.  They  are  wont  to 
speak  well  of  one  another,  and  hold  union  meetings. 
This  impresses  the  natives  favorably,  proving  that  Chris- 
tianity signifies  a  life  rather  than  a  name.  This  method 
attracts.  Only  live  Christianity,  and  who  can  withstand 
its  power  or  resist  its  claims?  It  is  the  living  Christ 
who  is  to  overcome  and  subdue  the  world. 

We  now  return  to  the  sea.  The  morning  is  halcyon. 
Seventy  steamers  and  sailing-vessels  are  lying  in  the  bay 
at  Kobe.  As  we  move  southward,  the  course  winds 
among  islands  after  islands.  Some  are  large,  and  others 
small ;  some  are  green,  and  others  barren ;  some  are  in- 
habited, and  others  desolate.  The  steamer  is  obliged 
to  tack  this  way  and  that.  Surely  there  is  variety  in 
sailing  through  these  waters.  The  rock  is  mainly  lava 
and  basalt.  The  climate  grows  warmer.  Before  the 


JAPAN.  153 

day  is  gone,  we  realize  we  are  navigating  among  more 
than  a  thousand  islands.  At  times  the  scenery  is  ex- 
citing; the  land  is  piled  up  into  sharp  peaks  and  abrupt 
bluffs,  solfataras  are  smoking,  and  the  Gulf  Stream  from 
the  south  brings  increasing  warmth.  We  realize  more 
and  more  that  Japan  is  a  country  of  islands;  and  it 
seems  stranger  than  ever  that  a  people  so  scattered 
and  isolated  should  cleave  together  as  one  nation,  and 
should  always  remain  so  united  as  never  to  have  been 
conquered  by  a  foreign  power.  After  a  voyage  of  two 
days  and  two  nights,  we  are  in  the  harbor  of  Nagasaki, 
reminding  us  of  a  picturesque  Norway  fiord,  especially 
that  of  Christiania.  It  is  landlocked  and  surrounded 
by  wooded  hills  of  palms,  pines,  bamboos,  and  pome- 
granate trees.  The  houses  stand  on  side  hills,  are  small 
in  size,  made  of  wood  and  clay,  and  furnished  with  ve- 
randas covered  with  vines  and  trailing  shrubbery.  Once 
it  had  a  population  of  seventy  thousand ;  but  since 
Kobe  and  Yokohama  have  become  leading  seaports,  its 
population  has  fallen  off  one  half.  This  was  the  first 
port  opened  to  foreign  trade.  Its  principal  shipping 
now  is  coal,  mined  not  far  from  the  city. 

This  harbor  reminds  one  of  Scotch  lochs,  or  small 
bays  around  the  coast  of  England. 

When,  in  1542,  the  three  Portuguese  were  driven  to 
this  island  and  to  this  city  by  stress  of  weather,  they 
must  have  been  delighted,  as  they  looked  upon  these 
picturesque  lands  and  were  able  to  make  a  treaty  with 
this  strange  people,  and  so  open  up  trade,  making  the 
island  known  to  the  Western  world.  This  prepared  the 
way  for  Francis  Xavier  to  plant  a  Jesuit  mission  here 


154  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

calling  into  existence  churches,  hospitals,  convents,  and 
schools,  which  in  the  course  of  half  a  century  had  a  fol- 
lowing of  four  hundred  thousand  converts.  But  after- 
wards prejudice  and  persecution  exterminated  these 
Christian  converts,  and  not  till  1854  was  this  port,  and 
others  as  well,  reopened  to  the  world.  Since  that  event 
what  strides  the  nation  has  taken  !  It  appears  bound  to 
stand  among  the  highest  civilizations.  Apparently  its 
resources  have  but  just  begun  to  be  developed.  But 
a  small  proportion  of  its  land  has  yet  been  improved, 
and  its  wealth  of  mines  is  just  being  opened  up.  So  it 
is  plain  to  see  how  its  large  debt  can  be  removed,  how 
its  roads  will  be  improved  and  multiplied.  As  the 
schools  advance  and  the  people  become  more  culti- 
vated, the  press  will  be  reformed  and  enabled  to  do 
more  effectual  work. 

The  Japanese  believe  in  the  Japanese,  and  are  resolved 
upon  preserving  their  identity  and  national  character. 
They  are  not  going  to  sell  themselves  to  another  nation. 
They  are  bound  to  lead  in  their  own  country.  There- 
fore those  missionaries  have  been  the  most  successful 
who  have  worked  behind  the  people  and  urged  them 
forward  as  fast  as  possible. 

The  greatest  obstacles  to  the  introduction  of  Chris- 
tianity and  Western  customs  to  Japan  are:  First,  the 
ruling  classes  are  wed  to  an  aristocratic  religion,  which 
in  fact  is  altogether  political.  Though  they  may  not 
call  themselves  Shinto-Buddhist,  nevertheless,  their  bias 
of  mind  is  fixed  in  that  direction,  and  much  time  and 
pains  will  be  required  to  change  it.  They  accept  the 
Sutras  and  regard  other  Bibles  as  spurious.  Second, 


JAPAN.  155 

they  have  no  Sunday,  and  it  is  difficult  to  call  them  from 
their  work  or  play  into  a  church  service  or  a  religious 
meeting  once  a  week;  and  third,  the  foreigners  from 
Christian  lands  who  are  doing  business  in  the  country, 
as  a  rule,  do  not  labor  in  behalf  of  the  Christian  cause. 
The  natives,  seeing  this  indifference,  are  slow  to  accept 
what  these  men  refuse.  Then,  too,  some  of  them  so 
live  that  the  Japanese  seeing  their  fruits  say,  "  If  these 
are  Christians,  we  do  not  desire  to  be,  for  Buddhism  is 
far  better  than  the  doctrine  they  practise." 

But  the  American  missionaries  are  generally  respected 
for  their  good  works.  They  dwell  upon  the  love  of 
God,  and  Christ  as  sent  by  the  Father  to  save  sinners, 
and  illustrate  their  faith  by  their  daily  living.  For  this 
reason  they  have  come  to  be  held  in  highest  esteem  as 
Christian  educators.  Let  their  numbers  be  increased  as 
rapidly  as  possible,  and  the  time  cannot  be  very  far  off, 
when  Japan  will  become  fully  ripe  for  the  reception  of 
Christianity,  and  her  thirty-four  millions  of  sceptics  will 
be  induced  to  follow  Him  who  is  "  the  way  and  the 
truth."  When  this  good  time  shall  have  arrived,  Japan 
will  be  a  fairer  and  sublimer  land  than  she  is  to-day, 
and  beacon-lights  will  flare  out  from  her  thousands  of 
islands,  rendering  her  surely  the  Light  of  eastern  Asia. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

CHINA. 

'T^HE  traveller  is  fortunate  who  enters  the  bay  of 
Hong  Kong  during  the  evening  twilight,  as  the 
stars  are  flashing  out  and  the  hills  and  mountains  are 
becoming  lost  in  the  sky.  The  island  of  Hong  Kong 
towers  aloft,  as  though  bound  to  have  a  realm  on  high. 
As  the  steamer  glides  cautiously  into  the  place  of  moor- 
age, the  light  of  a  thousand  gas-jets  from  the  city  of 
Victoria,  clinging  to  the  mountain  side,  throws  upon  us 
a  resplendent  picture,  signalling  quiet  homes  in  the  far- 
off  land  of  China.  In  this  quiet  harbor  Somnus  prof- 
fers pleasant  dreams  and  sweet  sleep  through  the  night. 
As  Aurora  opens  her  gates,  letting  in  the  golden  day, 
the  whole  face  of  Nature  is  soon  radiant  with  glory. 
We  little  thought,  while  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
globe,  that  such  a  resplendent  picture  could  be  found 
in  this  so-called  flowery  land.  It  is  surprising  there 
should  be  such  a  contradiction  between  the  works  of 
Nature  and  those  of  man.  Really,  only  poets  and 
lovers  of  the  beautiful  ought  to  be  born  here. 

Going  on  shore,  climbing  up  stairways,  and  inspect- 
ing public  and  private  houses,  we  are  led  to  the 
conclusion  that  Englishmen  have  planned  and  engi- 
neered the  construction  of  the  city  of  Victoria.  Though 
there  are  more  Chinamen  in  it  than  foreigners,  never- 


THE    FLOWERY    PAGODA,     CANTON. 


CHINA.  157 

theless  it  savors  strongly  of  Western  civilization.  The 
stores,  shops,  and  homes  remind  us  of  English  cities. 
The  schools  and  churches  are  modelled  and  conducted 
after  European  methods.  Somehow  the  Anglo-Saxon 
blood  is  sure  to  win  and  triumph  wherever  it  goes. 

But  we  must  not  linger  on  the  coast  of  a  country  which 
far  exceeds  in  area  the  whole  continent  of  Europe,  or 
one  third  of  Asia,  or  one  tenth  of  the  habitable  globe, 
and  which  comprises  the  largest  empire  that  has  ever 
been,  with  the  exception  of  the  Russian. 

As  the  new  day  is  ushered  in  with  the  fairest  morn- 
ing, we  board  a  steamer  just  ready  to  start  for  Canton 
through  the  bay  and  up  the  Pearl  River.  The  bay 
of  Hong  Kong  is  closely  shut  in  by  the  mainland  on 
the  north  and  by  encircling  islands  on  the  south.  The 
land  surface  is  lifted  into  heights  and  dropped  into 
depressions.  However,  Oceanus  and  Phoebus  are  very 
propitious  just  now,  though  the  sharp  cliffs  and  crimpled 
rocks  imply  that  Vulcan  in  the  past  has  raged  terribly. 
But  to-day  we  can  delight  in  these  physical  facts,  feel- 
ing most  grateful  to  Him  who  spoke  and  these  won- 
ders sprang  into  being.  As  we  approach  the  mouth 
of  the  river,  the  color  of  the  water  is  in  striking  con- 
trast to  the  deep  blue  of  the  ocean.  On  leaving  the 
bay  we  are  reminded  of  the  Danube  as  it  enters  the 
Black  Sea,  being  broad  and  deep ;  farther  on  we  can 
but  think  of  the  Tiber,  because  of  the  yellowness  of  the 
water;  or  of  the  Nile  at  Cairo,  from  its  size;  or  of  the 
Hudson,  because  of  the  hills  and  picturesque  scenery. 
As  the  steamer  ploughs  onward  and  the  shores  close  in, 
we  are  reminded  of  the  Rhine  minus  the  castles.  We 


158  ROUND   THE  GLOBE. 

are  about  three  hundred  miles  from  the  equator,  and 
are  consequently  in  a  tropical  clime,  where  the  sun 
varies  but  slightly  in  rising  and  setting  at  six  o'clock 
the  year  round.  The  shores  in  places  are  lined  with 
palm  and  banana  trees.  Sampans  and  junks  dot  the 
river  as  thick  as  the  stars  the  sky  in  the  clearest  night. 
The  natives  in  these  are  sifting  the  river  with  nets  for 
fish.  They  are  adepts  at  this  business.  They  seem  to 
think  that  what  they  do  not  know  as  to  the  best  methods 
of  getting  fish  out  of  the  water  is  not  worth  knowing. 
Some  of  them  fish  in  the  night  as  well  as  the  day.  In 
the  darkness  they  frequently  dispense  with  their  nets, 
stationing  a  bright  light  in  a  boat,  and  then  at  some 
distance  from  it  they  play  round  in  other  boats,  thresh- 
ing the  water  with  paddles  and  bamboo-rods,  frighten- 
ing the  fish,  causing  them  to  rush  towards  the  light  and 
to  leap  into  the  boat  containing  it.  The  current  of 
the  river  is  strong.  Occasionally  we  spy  little  villages 
nestled  among  the  rocks  along  the  shore.  The  hills  and 
swelling  lands  in  the  distance  are  mostly  shorn  of  grass 
and  trees. 

Some  thirty  miles  up  the  river,  we  see  the  hulk  of  a 
steamer  which  but  a  short  time  ago  was  burned,  with 
five  hundred  Chinese.  Strange  that  in  waters  no 
deeper  or  broader  such  a  catastrophe  should  occur; 
but  a  people  who  are  fatalists  are  prone  to  greatest 
mistakes  in  case  of  emergencies. 

The  scenery  now  becomes  softer,  the  meadows  stretch 
far  away,  and  tropical  fruits  are  abundant.  Nature  has 
done  her  part  to  render  this  region  most  inviting.  The 
immigrants  who  first  selected  it  for  a  dwelling-place 


CHINA.  159 

showed  a  wise  choice.  This  diversity  and  enchant- 
ment of  scenery  ought  to  have  been  prolific  in  bring- 
ing forth  poets  and  sages. 

When  within  four  miles  of  Canton  the  steamer  runs 
aground.  The  tide  is  out,  and  the  captain  says  his  boat 
will  be  delayed  for  hours,  waiting  for  the  rise  of  waters. 
It  is  but  a  few  moments  before  the  sampans  are  as  thick 
around  the  steamer  as  hacks  about  the  Great  Western 
Station  of  London  when  the  train  has  just  arrived. 
Their  managers  are  bidding  fast  for  passengers  to  ride 
up  town.  Soon  bargains  are  struck,  and  into  sampans 
all  are  loaded.  The  travellers  belonging  to  the  coun- 
try have  their  beds  with  them.  They  know  this  is  the 
only  way  to  secure  wholesome  lodgings.  Our  boat  is 
made  of  three  wide  boards,  narrowed  at  the  ends  and 
bent  together,  and  so  fastened  as  to  be  water-tight.  It 
has  a  covering  of  palmleaf  over  the  centre  to  screen 
passengers  from  the  sunlight.  In  the  bow  are  two  men 
and  two  small  boys  with  long  oars  in  hand ;  in  the  stern 
there  are  three  women,  —  one,  perhaps,  eighty  years 
old,  another  forty,  and  another  eighteen,  —  who  are 
working  back  and  forth  with  a  chug  a  sculling-oar. 
They  are  obliged  to  struggle  with  their  might  to  push 
the  boat  up  stream.  It  is  too  bad  for  that  aged  woman 
to  strain  as  she  does.  Only  think  of  it !  This  boat  is 
the  home  of  this  family.  It  comprises  all  their  posses- 
sions. In  it  children  are  born  and  the  sick  die. 

In  the  course  of  an  hour  after  leaving  the  steamer,  we 
are  nearing  the  only  hotel  in  the  city  where  Western 
travellers  can  be  accommodated.  Now  the  river  is 
swarming  with  sampans.  We  have  heard  it  stated  that 


160  .ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

a  fourth  of  a  million  of  people  in  this  city  alone  dwell 
in  them.  We  cannot  now  for  a  moment  doubt  it,  for 
the  river  here  is  a  hundred  rods  wide,  and  brimful  of 
these  dirty,  greasy  things,  as  far  up  the  stream  as  we 
can  see.  The  aristocracy  of  this  boat  population  live 
in  junks  which  are  usually  large  enough  to  carry  thirty 
or  forty  tons'  burden.  Frequently  we  pass  fancy-look- 
ing crafts ;  these  are  called  "  flower-boats,"  and  display 
brightest  colors  to  allure  the  unwary  within.  Whited 
sepulchres  surely  they  are  !  So  here,  as  well  as  in  Lon- 
don or  New  York,  the  devil  indulges  in  bright  colors. 

As  we  are  landed  at  the  wharf  in  front  of  the  hotel, 
we  pass  through  a  long  basement  passage  and  ascend 
a  flight  of  creaking  stairs,  and  behold !  we  are  in  the 
principal  hotel  of  the  largest  city  in  China.  Well,  as 
inspection  goes  on,  it  does  not  remind  one  of  the  Par- 
ker House  in  Boston,  nor  the  Palace  in  San  Francisco. 
It  appears  as  though  we  had  got  into  a  barn  for  drying 
tobacco.  But  something  answering  to  rooms  is  decided 
on,  baggage  is  disposed  of,  and  now  we  are  ready  for 
more  sights.  This  city  of  more  than  a  million  and  a 
half  of  people  is  divided  by  the  river,  but  the  larger 
part  is  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  from  the  hotel. 
For  the  remainder  of  the  day  we  will  wander  about  in 
the  western  portion.  A  guide  is  secured,  for  it  is  not 
safe  for  strangers  to  attempt  to  thread  these  labyrinthine 
streets  without  a  guide.  As  we  go  forth  into  the  prin- 
cipal street,  we  observe  it  is  not  more  than  six  feet 
wide,  and  overtopped  with  buildings  from  two  to  four 
stories  high,  constructed  of  brick  and  mud.  Verily,  the 
Chinaman  here  is  down  in  the  dirt  and  smeared  with 


CHINA  l6l 

filth.  He  is  dickering  in  knick-knacks  and  selling 
oranges,  peanuts,  and  sweetmeats.  We  soon  come  to 
a  rice-mill ;  let  us  step  into  it  and  see  how  they  grind. 
Just  see  those  long,  naked,  bow-legged  fellows  !  They 
constitute  the  motive  power.  Four  bowls  of  stone  are 
set  in  the  floor,  each  of  which  will  hold  half  a  bushel. 
These  are  nearly  filled  with  rice,  and  over  them  are  sus- 
pended large  wooden  mallets  with  long  reaches,  or 
handles.  Now  these  grinders  pull  down  on  the  short 
arm  of  the  lever,  lifting  the  head  of  the  mallet  three 
or  four  feet,  and  then  letting  it  drop  upon  the  grain, 
and  thus  they  pound  out  the  staff  of  Chinese  life.  To 
them  the  world  has. not  stirred  since  Noah  left  the  ark. 

We  next  enter  a  coffin-shop,  where  some  carpenters 
are  pulling  the  saw  and  the  plane  toward  themselves 
instead  of  pushing  them  from  them.  They  are  hollow- 
ing out  thick  hard-wood  slabs,  so  that  four  of  them 
fitted  and  put  together  will  not  only  be  strong,  but 
roomy  and  air-tight.  The  coffin  for  an  average-sized 
man,  when  done,  resembles  the  trunk  of  a  tree  seven 
feet  long  and  a  foot  and  a  half  through.  For  the  or- 
dinary person  it  is  left  the  natural  color  of  the  wood, 
but  for  the  higher  classes  it  is  stained  black  and  orna- 
mented with  gold  and  vermilion.  The  Chinese  believe 
in  straight  caskets  for  the  dead,  that  they  may  not  return 
to  the  earth  crooked. 

Hosts  of  children  crowd  about  strangers.  They  are 
neither  comely  nor  polite,  as  in  Japan.  As  you  inspect 
them,  you  feel  that  it  would  be  a  great  charity  to  take 
them  to  the  river  and  give  them  a  drenching  and 

scrubbing. 

ii 


1 62  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

Before  long  we  arrive  at  the  temple  of  Honam,  which 
is  said  to  be  the  finest  in  the  land.  We  are  a  little  too 
late  to  hear  the  priests  in  their  intoning  service.  The 
audience,  which  consisted  of  a  few  poor  wretches  from 
the  outside  world  and  half-a-dozen  priests,  who  belong 
to  the  temple,  and  who  take  part  in  beating  the  drum, 
rattling  the  gong,  and  drawling  out  prayers,  is  just 
leaving  the  auditorium.  They  do  not  appear  as  if 
they  had  been  engaged  in  any  very  devout  worship. 
The  doves  and  spiders  have  undisturbed  liberty  in  this 
temple.  The  images  of  Buddha  look  as  though  they 
had  been  made  before  man  had  any  knowledge  of  art. 

Leaving  these  shrines  and  dead  gods,  our  attention  is 
called  to  some  religious  hogs  which  are  kept  to  do 
honor  to  Buddha ;  but  we  cannot  discover  that  they  are 
a  bit  superior  to  other  swine.  We  now  pass  into  a 
beautiful  garden  where  flowers  and  plants  thrive,  whose 
leafage  is  trained  into  shapes  of  birds  and  beasts.  On 
one  side  is  a  columbarium  such  as  once  existed  in  old 
Memphis  or  Pompeii,  which  holds  the  calcined  bones  of 
a  multitude  of  priests  that  they  may  become  purified. 
Nature  is  a  beneficent  agent,  and  has  great  pity  for  dirty 
humanity. 

The  shadows  begin  to  fall,  and  we  bid  the  guide  take 
us  back  to  the  hotel.  We  cannot  take  a  straight  course 
if  we  would.  The  alleys,  or  roads,  are  more  tortuous 
than  the  course  of  the  Meander  River.  But  the  hotel 
is  reached  in  safety.  Here,  in  spite  of  rats  and  mos- 
quitoes, night  gives  repose  and  recuperation.  In  the 
morning,  breakfast  eaten,  lunch  put  up,  guide  ready, 
a  sampan  is  secured,  and  we  cross  the  river.  Two 


CHINA.  163 

girls  are  the  propellers.  The  dwellers  in  the  boats  are 
all  astir.  Most  of  them  are  dexterously  applying  the 
chopsticks.  Rice  and  fish  constitute  their  breakfast, 
dinner,  and  supper.  We  are  rowed  to  the  island  where 
the  English-speaking  citizens  are  quartered.  Here  are 
inviting  lawns  and  groves ;  turtledoves  are  cooing,  and 
sweet-toned  birds  are  singing.  Dandelions  are  spotting 
the  grass  with  gold.  Here  the  foreign  ministers  and 
consuls  reside.  A  short  visit  is  paid  to  the  American 
Legate,  hoping  to  find  letters  to  gladden  the  expec- 
tant heart.  But  after  a  brief  and  kindly  interview,  his 
office  is  left,  the  heart  struggling  to  feel  that  no  news 
is  good  news;  but  the  adage  is  pronounced  false,  and 
hurled  to  the  wind. 

To  know  this  city  we  must  wander  around  and  through 
it.  It  has  a  wall  nine  miles  in  extent  round  a  portion 
of  it,  made  of  brick  and  from  twelve  to  thirty  feet  high. 
As  many  dwell  outside  as  within  the  walls.  To  make 
this  trip  in  the  quickest  and  easiest  manner,  let  us  take 
a  sedan,  which  is  the  only  vehicle  that  can  pass  through 
these  narrow  and  incommodious  streets.  The  sedans 
are  selected,  and  three  coolies  for  each  sedan.  Of 
course  we  take  open  sedans,  and  being  seated  and  lifted 
upon  the  shoulders  of  the  nearly  naked  carriers,  off  we 
ride  to  the  Temple  of  Longevity,  through  streets  not 
more  than  six  feet  wide,  but  brimful  of  fishmongers, 
roving  swine,  lounging  dogs,  dirty  cobblers,  and  mov- 
ing throngs  of  Cantonians.  In  fifteen  minutes  the  tem- 
ple is  reached.  After  inspecting  it  somewhat  closely, 
we  know  this  is  a  farce,  and  decide  that  our  longevity 
depends  upon  leaving  it  as  soon  as  possible. 


1 64  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

Now  we  proceed  through  no  wider  streets.  Our  cool- 
ies keep  crying  out  at  the  top  of  their  voices,  and  we 
wonder  what  they  say,  but  conclude  after  a  little  medi- 
tation that  they  are  bidding  the  crowds  "  get  out  of  the 
way,  for  the  stage  is  coming."  Just  at  this  point  we 
meet  a  long  line  of  bonnetless  women  who  are  walking 
very  slowly.  We  see  they  are  tottling  and  swinging 
about,  as  though  gravitation  were  playing  tricks  with 
them.  These  are  some  of  the  tiny-footed  women, 
whose  feet  are  not  one  bit  larger  than  those  of  a  child 
four  years  old.  The  better  class  of  men  show  special 
regard  to  them,  but  they  hobble  along  as  though  they 
found  this  a  hard  way  to  appear  charming  to  the  male 
sex.  For  three  hundred  years,  it  is  reported,  the  wo- 
men of  style  have  been  doing  this  very  thing  in  imita- 
tion of  a  club-footed  queen  that  ruled  over  the  Empire 
and  was  held  in  highest  esteem ;  and  so  ever  since  her 
death  the  women  of  China  have  been  determined  on 
being  club-footed.  The  best  we  can  say  of  them  is, 
they  show  a  deal  of  grit  to  endure  such  torturing.  But 
how  is  this  condition  brought  about?  By  bending  the 
toes  of  the  infant  under  the  sole  of  the  foot  and  swath- 
ing them  there  till  they  grow  together  and  adhere. 
The  Manchu  women  do  not  suffer  their  feet  to  be 
compressed. 

Soon  our  coolies  drop  us  again  right  in  the  street, 
because  there  is  no  other  place  to  unload,  and  we  are 
obliged  to  scramble  to  prevent  being  run  over.  Our 
guide  says,  "  Right  in  here  to  see  the  ox-mill ;  "  and  be- 
hold, it  is  a  busy  place,  where  twenty  oxen  are  walking 
round  sweeps,  turning  seventy  stones  and  grinding  out 


CHINA.  165 

wheat  and  rice.  This  is  the  climax  of  milling  in  this 
country,  and  the  natives  speak  of  it  with  as  much  pride 
as  Corliss  could  of  his  magnificent  engine. 

Our  next  search  is  for  the  Flowery  Pagoda.  The 
name,  at  least,  is  pleasing.  The  streets  are  both  rough 
and  smooth,  being  paved  with  flat  stones  and  cobbles. 
We  rejoice  that  our  coolies  are  sure-footed,  especially 
when  we  are  on  their  backs.  Soon  the  cry  is,  "  Here  it 
is !  "  and  down  we  go,  and  through  a  gate  we  pass,  and 
with  us  more  than  forty  boys.  Now  a  priest  steps  in 
front  of  us,  who  looks  as  though  he  had  been  just  dug 
from  some  ancient  graveyard.  He  leads  us  round  and 
round  till  the  head  begins  to  swim,  and  finally  points 
up,  and  we  can  but  exclaim,  "  Is  that  the  Flowery 
Pagoda?"  Why  not  call  it  by  the  right  name?  For  it 
is  nothing  but  a  faded,  dilapidated,  old  five-story  tower 
that  ought  to  have  been  burned  a  hundred  years  ago. 
A  piece  of  silver  is  dropped  into  the  hand  of  the  old 
bonze,  and  away  we  go. 

In  the  course  of  ten  minutes,  as  we  move  on,  we 
come  to  something  real;  it  is  a  funeral  procession. 
Two  men  are  ahead,  each  bearing  a  huge  Chinese  lan- 
tern inscribed  with  the  name  of  the  family  of  the  de- 
ceased ;  then  follow  two  men  with  large  gongs,  which 
are  beaten  at  intervals  to  give  warning  of  what  is  ap- 
proaching; then  come  musicians,  who  blow  furiously 
while  the  wind  holds  out;  close  upon  these  is  a  man 
with  a  flag,  accompanied  by  one  who  scatters  every  now 
and  then  bits  of  paper,  supposed  to  represent  silver  and 
,gold  which  will  serve  as  passage-money  to  the  deceased 
in  the  next  world ;  then  comes  the  empty  sedan ;  after 


1 66  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

this  the  son  of  the  deceased;  then  the  bier  with  the 
dead,  on  the  shoulders  of  four  bearers ;  and  lastly,  some 
twenty  mourners.  These  appear  as  though  their  hearts 
were  stricken.  They  are  going  outside  of  the  city  for 
burial.  The  dead  must  be  buried  outside  of  the  city, 
according  to  the  custom,  and  the  body  entombed  at 
just  such  a  point  of  the  compass ;  and  when  deposited 
with  precision,  a  quantity  of  mock  money  is  burned 
close  by  to  satisfy  the  demands  of  the  departed. 
When  this  is  done  the  mourners  return  to  their 
homes. 

We  now  hasten  to  the  temple  of  Confucius,  the  only 
one  in  the  city.  Coming  to  the  wall  about  it,  we  find 
the  gate  locked.  The  custodian  is  hunted  up,  who 
proves  to  be  a  woman  with  a  large  head  and  little 
feet.  How  she  waddles  and  hobbles  along !  The  gate 
is  opened,  and  as  we  walk  through  the  yard,  the  temple 
and  surroundings  appear  neglected.  The  building  is 
not  spacious  or  handsome.  Passing  within,  we  find  the 
auditorium  without  seats  or  furniture.  In  the  centre 
there  is  a  large  wooden  statue  of  the  great  deist  and 
moralist.  Should  he  behold  this  image,  he  could  not 
feel  flattered.  This  temple  is  seldom  visited,  and  is 
less  often  used  for  religious  purposes.  Confucianism 
has  seen  its  brightest  day  in  this  land. 

We  next  come  to  the  North  Gate  of  the  city ;  climb- 
ing to  the  top,  we  ascend  still  higher  to  the  fifth  story 
of  a  pagoda,  where  we  have  a  fine  outlook  over  the 
city  and  its  environments.  To  the  north  is  the  White 
Clouded  Hill,  whose  area  is  immense.  No  one  can 
tell  how  many  have  been  buried  in  that  Silent  City. 


CHINA.  l6; 

The  graves  of  the  poor  are  unmarked,  but  the  ashes 
of  mandarins  and  of  the  nobility  rest  in  semicircular 
tombs.  The  poor  man  is  soon  forgotten  here,  and  the 
poor  woman  still  sooner. 

Having  surveyed  the  landscape  and  partaken  of  our 
tiffin,  our  steps  are  downward  and  downward  for  fifteen 
hundred  feet,  when  we  are  again  mounted  upon  the 
shoulders  of  the  coolies,  and  away  we  move  to  the 
temple  of  the  Five  Hundred  Genii.  As  the  great  door 
opens  and  we  step  within,  surely  before  us  there  is  a 
tremendous  array  of  adipose  bodies  and  fat  red  faces. 
In  the  centre  of  these  portly  fellows  are  three  monstrous 
Buddhas,  in  a  sitting  posture  and  precisely  alike.  The 
guide  points  to  one  image,  saying  "  Marco  Paulo ;  "  and 
others  say  it  was  intended  to  represent  the  sainted 
Xavier,  who  once  nobly  wrought  here  in  behalf  of 
Christianity. 

After  this  we  are  taken  to  the  place  of  the  Holy  Pigs, 
Ducks,  and  Fowls.  One  can  have  no  disposition  to  lin- 
ger here,  unless  he  is  a  Chinaman.  The  filth  and  odors 
beggar  description. 

Hurrying  on  we  soon  hear  an  excruciating  noise, 
and  ask  what  that  means.  "  Oh,"  the  guide  says, 
"  that  is  a  school ;  "  and  so  into  it  we  pass.  The 
room  is  dark  and  horribly  dismal.  In  it  are  twenty- 
five  boys,  from  seven  to  twelve  years  of  age.  They 
are  studying  aloud  just  as  hard  as  they  can ;  they  are 
doing  it  so  powerfully  as  to  turn  their  yellow  faces  red. 
They  are  studying  the  elementary  classics  of  Confucius. 
The  teacher  is  sitting  in  front  of  the  boys,  as  stolid  as  a 
stone.  He  pays  no  attention  to  his  visitors.  We  are 


1 68  ROUND   THE  GLOBE. 

not  disposed  to  endure  this  bedlam  very  long.  If  yell- 
ing will  purchase  knowledge,  this  school  will  become 
masterly  wise. 

Our  guide  says  there  is  one  other  place  of  striking 
interest  which  we  must  not  fail  to  visit.  So  we  are  hur- 
ried on  till  the  Execution  Grounds  are  reached.  Here, 
we  are  told,  three  hundred  criminals  are  yearly  beheaded, 
and  their  heads  are  hung  up  on  those  stakes  and  pins  to 
gratify  the  crowds  that  flock  to  witness  these  popular 
scenes.  Another  place  which  has  strong  attractions  for 
the  natives  is  the  bastinado  court,  where  the  bamboo  is 
applied  to  the  backs  of  those  given  to  petty  crimes.  It 
would  seem  that  cruelty  supplants  mercy  among  the 
Chinese.  Still  they  are  not  a  warlike  people,  but  they 
are  strange;  verily,  they  are  Chinese  from  head  to 
foot. 

As  we  return  to  the  river  and  inspect  the  vast  popu- 
lation jostling  up  and  down  on  the  waves,  we  should  not 
infer,  from  the  prevalence  of  dirt,  that  they  lived  near  the 
water.  As  we  observe  them  at  their  meals,  their  equip- 
ment at  the  table  consists  of  a  cup,  a  bowl,  chopsticks, 
and  an  iron  pan  for  cooking  the  rice,  fish,  and  cabbage, 
all  in  one  mess.  The  children  in  the  boats  are  mostly 
nude,  and  the  men  and  women  are  clad  in  trousers  and 
loose  frocks. 

As  you  study  this  people  on  shore  or  river,  finding 
them  in  many  respects  so  homogeneous,  you  can  but 
ask  where  they  originated.  Listen  to  their  answer,  and 
they  will  try  to  convince  you,  from  ancient  inscriptions 
and  odes,  that  they  are  the  natural  production  of 
China.  But  recent  investigations  and  ethnological 


CHINA.  169 

developments  show  that  they  belong  to  the  yellow 
Turanian  stock,  and  so  came  originally  from  the  country 
south  of  the  Caspian  Sea.  Their  history  goes  back 
nearly  three  thousand  years,  representing  them  as  being 
early  acquainted  with  astronomy,  agriculture,  and  various 
arts.  It  does  not  speak  of  them  as  advancing  from  a 
rude  state,  but  pictures  them  as  in  a  civilized  condition 
to  start  with.  This  certainly  implies  that  they  had  had 
training  somewhere  before  they  came  to  this  land. 

They  are  loosely  built  physically.  The  men  are  some- 
what under  the  medium  size.  Their  heads  will  average 
as  large  as  the  European,  but  their  temperament  tends 
to  grossness.  Their  skin  is  the  color  of  parchment. 
Their  heads  are  rather  flat;  their  cheek-bones  high, 
and  their  eyes  dark  and  set  obliquely.  They  shave 
their  heads,  with  the  exception  of  a  patch  on  the  crown 
which  furnishes  the  hair  for  the  conspicuous  queue. 
Though  the  queue  was  forced  upon  them  through  a 
conquest  as  late  as  1635,  and  they  realize  that  it  is  a 
troublesome  appendage,  nevertheless  they  dare  not  dis- 
pense with  it.  The  women  are  small,  having  broad  faces, 
stunted  noses,  and  linear  eyes.  Their  hair  is  combed 
straight  back,  and  put  into  fantastic  shapes  upon  the 
back  of  the  head.  The  Manchu  women  do  not  indulge 
in  the  fashion  of  compressing  their  feet. 

The  government  of  this  people  is  patriarchal,  and 
always  has  been.  In  their  national  life  there  have  been 
many  changes  in  the  patriarchal  line.  So  at  the  present 
the  common  belief  is  that  there  must  be  a  revolution  as 
often  as  every  two  hundred  years.  The  country  has 
been  subject  to  good  and  bad  rulers.  It  is  a  fact  that 


I/O  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

much  cruelty  has  been  woven  into  the  Chinese  charac- 
ter. In  the  home  the  husband  and  father  holds  supreme 
authority.  He  must  be  first  served  at  the  table,  and,  if 
well-to-do,  he  must  lie  on  a  bed,  while  his  wife  and  child 
sleep  on  the  floor.  The  Chinese  are  not  tender  in  their 
feelings,  as  is  made  manifest  by  their  gruff  and  harsh 
voices ;  even  the  intoning  of  prayers  by  the  priest  is 
like  the  grating  of  a  saw. 

Would  you  know  of  their  mercantile  ability?  Go 
into  the  main  streets  of  a  great  city  and  you  will  find 
stores  made  of  brick  and  roofed  with  tiling,  two  and 
three  stories  high ;  enter  these  and  you  will  behold  vast 
shelves  of  silks  for  sale.  The  merchants  move  slowly 
but  surely.  They  are  glad  to  serve  you,  and  as  a  rule 
they  have  but  one  price  for  their  goods.  In  making 
change,  they  pride  themselves  on  being  correct  and 
honest.  They  are  experts  in  manufacturing  silks. 

Next  enter  a  lacquer-ware  establishment,  and  in  the 
front  room  you  will  meet  with  beautiful  wares.  Here 
they  handle  their  goods  with  care,  and  extol  them  as 
the  best  made.  To  prove  this  they  will  wish  you  to  go 
into  a  room  in  the  rear  of  the  store  where  you  can  see 
them  manufacturing  the  genuine  article. 

From  this  store  pass  to  an  ivory  shop,  and  here  you 
will  meet  with  all  sorts  of  curious  articles ;  and  as  you 
examine  them,  you  will  be  ready  to  admit  that  the 
Chinese  are  geniuses. 

In  another  quarter  you  come  to  dry-goods  stores, 
which  are  numerous  and  small.  The  cotton  tunic  here 
has  been  donned  instead  of  the  silk.  The  traders  are 
bare-armed  and  barefooted,  and  more  active  than  those 


CHINA.  I/I 

you  have  seen.  For  miles  and  miles  in  Canton  the 
streets  are  lined  with  these  diminutive  stores.  You 
can  but  marvel  how  it  is  possible  for  merchants  to 
live  and  grow  old,  when  so  packed  together. 

But  what  do  these  people  eat?  Inspect  the  meat- 
markets,  and  you  will  seldom  see  any  beef;  but  slaugh- 
tered sheep,  hogs,  dogs,  pigs,  cats,  and  the  like  abound. 
In  the  fruit-market  you  will  find  grapes,  oranges,  pru- 
nellos,  loquats,  lemons,  persimmons,  tomatoes,  radishes, 
onions,  beans,  peas,  Irish  and  sweet  potatoes.  In  the 
monger-stalls  are  a  great  variety  of  large  and  small  fish. 
But,  as  already  stated,  the  staple  article  here  is  rice, 
which  is  abundant  and  cheap.  Wheat  flour  is  used  to 
some  extent.  Perhaps  the  most  common  article  in  the 
cuisine  of  this  people  is  dirt.  They  cannot  live  long 
before  they  have  disposed  of  their  peck. 

China  is  the  most  populous  country  in  the  world. 
Though  the  land,  susceptible  of  improvement,  is  gen- 
erally cultivated,  still  not  enough  is  raised  to  support 
the  people.  The  poor  are  beyond  computation. 

It  is  said  that  there  are  forty-four  hundred  walled 
cities  in  the  land  and  as  many  thousand  hamlets.  Still, 
they  do  not  build  for  the  ages.  Let  one  be  absent 
from  the  country  for  ten  years  and  then  return,  and 
he  would  scarcely  know  it.  However,  in  spite  of  this 
transitoriness,  the  nation  survives,  but  does  not  ad- 
vance. It  builds  its  houses,  tills  its  soil,  weaves  its 
silk,  cooks  its  food,  as  it  did  centuries  ago.  It  is 
satisfied  with  its  present  condition,  rejecting  modern 
improvements. 

The  Chinese  delight  in  boasting  of  what  they  have 


1/2  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

done.  They  refer  with  pride  to  the  great  emperor,  Shu- 
Hoang-Ti,  who  expelled  the  Moguls  from  the  country 
and  caused  the  Great  Wall  to  be  built  two  thousand 
years  ago,  extending  fifteen  hundred  miles  over  the 
mountains.  It  is  estimated  that  stones  enough  were 
put  into  this  work  to  make  a  wall  twice  round  the  globe, 
six  feet  high,  and  two  feet  thick.  They  refer  with  pleas- 
ure to  their  canal,  which  extended  two  thousand  miles, 
and  was  completed  five  hundred  years  ago.  They  claim 
to  have  printed  with  movable  type  and  to  have  used  the 
magnetic  needle  before  the  Christian  era. 

The  Chinese  date  the  commencement  of  their  Empire 
forty-one  thousand  years  before  Christ,  and  mention 
philosophers  and  heroes  who  lived  twenty-seven  hundred 
years  ago.  They  claim  that  America  was  visited  in  pre- 
historic times  by  explorers  from  their  country.  If  this 
be  true,  it  is  plain  they  have  lost  ground ;  for  it  is 
reported  that  now  not  more  than  one  man  out  of  a  hun- 
dred, and  one  woman  out  of  a  thousand,  can  read  and 
write.  In  mental  culture  they  are  surely  retrograding. 
When  America  was  discovered  by  Columbus,  they  were 
studying  astronomy  and  printing  with  block  type.  They 
were  then,  as  now,  an  exclusive  people.  They  would 
permit  no  stranger  to  land  on  their  soil.  They  imagined 
that  they  had  received  universal  wisdom  from  Confucius, 
whose  writings,  reduced  to  a  kind  of  ancestral  religion, 
they  felt  to  be  sufficient  for  all  intellectual  demands. 
They  still  cherish  this  idea,  and  so  are  anxious  that  their 
boys  shall  become  adepts  in  the  wisdom  of  their  great 
sage.  Though  there  is  not  a  public  school  in  the  Empire, 
as  we  understand  it,  still  they  have  schools  in  every  city 


CHINA.  1/3 

and  hamlet,  sustained  by  subscription.  As  soon  as  the 
boy  is  born,  his  parents  begin  to  plan  his  education. 
On  his  first  birthday  he  is  placed  in  a  sieve,  surrounded 
by  money-scales,  a  pair  of  shears,  a  measure,  a  mirror, 
a  pencil,  ink,  paper,  an  abacus  and  books,  and  then 
eagerly  watched  to  see  which  he  is  inclined  to  take  first. 
If  he  takes  the  scales,  the  pencil,  or  the  measure,  the 
parents  are  delighted,  feeling  this  is  an  assurance  that  he 
will  master  the  wisdom  of  Confucius,  and  experience  a 
bright  future.  At  six  he  is  put  into  school,  and  there 
is  kept  till  fourteen  years  of  age.  From  six  to  eight 
hours  daily  he  is  drilled  forty-five  weeks  annually  in 
the  first  three  classics,  which  are  written  in  verse. 
As  the  Chinese  language  has  no  alphabet  but  four 
hundred  and  fifty  symbols,  which  represent  fifty  thou- 
sand different  meanings,  he  is  required  to  learn  char- 
acters and  sounds  first,  or  rather  it  is  sound  and 
memorizing  altogether.  The  schoolrooms  are  noisy 
places.  The  pupils  are  inclined  to  be  orderly;  how- 
ever, in  every  school  the  ruler  and  rattan  have  a  con- 
spicuous place.  If  these  are  applied,  it  is  to  teach 
filial  obedience,  as  Confucius  commanded.  Let  a  boy 
be  disrespectful  to  his  father  or  teacher,  and  he  must 
be  punished  with  eight  strokes  of  the  rattan  over  his 
head,  but  for  petty  faults  the  ruler  is  applied  to  the 
palm  of  the  hand. 

If  the  boy  is  successful  in  mastering  the  classics  writ- 
ten in  sentences  of  three  characters,  then  he  takes  up 
the  thousand-character  classics;  then  follow  in  order 
the  odes,  the  high  learning,  the  golden  medium,  the 
sayings  of  Mencius,  the  book  of  history,  spring,  autumn, 


174  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

books  of  odes,  and  book  of  rites.  These  do  not  treat 
of  grammar,  mathematics,  or  science,  and  only  in  part  of 
history;  the  rest  concerns  divination  and  the  sayings  of 
Confucius. 

The  boy's  object  is  to  become  fitted  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble to  try  his  success  in  the  competitive  examinations 
which  take  place  yearly  in  different  districts.  If  he  be- 
longs to  Canton,  he  will  try  his  luck  there,  where  ten 
thousand  competitors  enter  the  contest  for  one  of  ninety 
chances  to  secure  a  State  appointment  to  some  office. 

Look  into  the  grounds  at  Canton  and  see  the  arrange- 
ments for  this  time-honored  custom,  consisting  of  an 
area  of  some  four  or  five  acres,  in  the  heart  of  the  city, 
enclosed  with  a  high  wall  of  sunburnt  brick.  In  the 
centre  is  the  Examination  Hall,  not  a  spacious  or  beau- 
tiful structure.  On  the  sides  of  the  grounds  are  rows 
of  brick  stalls,  each  about  three  feet  wide,  five  deep,  and 
six  high,  open  to  the  south,  furnished  with  a  board-seat 
and  table.  At  the  trial  each  student  is  assigned  a  stall, 
which  he  must  not  leave,  under  penalty,  for  twenty-four 
or  forty-eight  hours,  according  to  the  allotted  task. 
Here  he  is  required  to  write  an  ode  or  an  essay,  pat- 
terned after  Confucius. 

At  a  given  signal  the  papers  are  collected,  marked 
only  with  the  number  of  the  stall.  After  these  have 
been  looked  over  and  assorted,  the  numbers  of  the  suc- 
cessful are  called  and  publicly  crowned  with  honors, 
and  often  are  feasted  at  public  expense. 

These  graduates  have  the  privilege  of  going  on  in  the 
Confucian  classics,  and  at  appointed  periods  make  three 
more  trials  in  competitive  examinations  at  Pekin  for  a 


CHINA.  175 

few  possible  degrees,  or  chances  to  be  elected  to  high 
positions  whenever  vacancies  shall  occur. 

But  after  the  climax  is  reached,  what  do  the  young 
men  really  know?  If  they  have  become  classic  book- 
worms of  Confucius,  they  have  not  gained  any  practical 
common-sense.  They  have  never  read  any  but  Chinese 
books.  Their  minds  have  been  forced  into  one  unyield- 
ing mould,  as  much  so  as  the  feet  of  the  Mandarin 
women.  So  this  culture  serves  to  keep  them  un- 
changed. The  present  generation  is  bound  to  do  just 
as  their  ancestors  did.  The  medicine  the  fathers  took, 
they  are  going  to  take,  kill  or  cure.  The  sons  are  no 
wiser  than  their  sires.  They  are  reading  the  same 
books  and  travelling  the  same  mental  road,  but  do  not 
keep  it  in  repair :  it  is  no  longer  fringed  with  flowers, 
but  hedged  with  jungle.  Intellectual  darkness  is  grad- 
ually settling  upon  this  people,  once  famous  for  their 
learning.  However,  there  are  hopeful  signs,  resulting 
from  foreign  settlements  in  a  few  places,  from  mission- 
ary enterprises,  and  particularly  from  the  establishment 
of  the  Tung-wen  College  at  Pekin.  This  institution  has 
been  in  operation  six  years,  and  has  won  popular  favor 
in  the  capital  of  the  Empire.  As  the  Chinese  are  edu- 
cated in  it,  becoming  acquainted  with  science,  philos- 
ophy, and  literature,  they  break  away  from  the  old  and 
lay  hold  of  the  new.  Stimulate  mind  with  thought  and 
freedom,  and  it  is  certain  to  advance  into  more  life  and 
light. 

The  large  number  of  temples  and  joss-houses  imply 
that  the  Chinese  are  decidedly  a  religious  people. 
Their  feast-days  are  many,  but  are  at  present  more 


1/6  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

devoted  to  sport  and  jollity  than  to  seriousness  and 
worship.  But  what  is  their  religion?  Judging  from  the 
greater  number  of  their  temples,  you  would  infer  the 
masses  must  be  Buddhists.  Still  you  seldom  find  them 
disclosing  themselves  as  such.  Perhaps,  if  they  have 
been  passing  through  fiery  ordeals  they  will  be  seen  go- 
ing to  Buddhist  shrines;  or  if  they  have  some  doubtful 
project  in  view  and  do  not  feel  equal  to  the  emergency, 
they  may  seek  some  temple  for  aid ;  yet,  if  it  is  not 
granted  in  due  time,  by  their  maledictions  you  would 
not  judge  them  very  near  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

At  feast  periods  they  frequently  bear  immense  quan- 
tities of  food  to  the  altars  of  certain  gods;  but  this 
seems  to  be  done  because  they  are  aware  the  gods  will 
consume  none  of  it  and  they  will  have  enough  to  satisfy 
their  hunger  for  some  time. 

Enter  the  temple  of  the  Genii  at  Canton  and  you  will 
be  greeted  by  close-shaven-pated  priests  who  will  lead 
you  round  among  a  mass  of  rubbish  and  finally  present 
you  to  an  enormous  image  of  Buddha,  and  then  you 
will  be  entreated  for  money  with  which  to  purchase 
joss-sticks  to  be  consumed  in  honor  of  the  prophet;  or 
pass  into  the  temple  of  the  Five  Hundred  Wise  Men, 
and,  lo,  you  will  behold  five  hundred  sitting  figures, 
representing  the  heroes  of  the  land.  If  these  are  true 
to  life,  what  a  manifestation  of  adipose,  what  chops, 
what  tigers'  eyes,  what  greasy  fellows !  The  ofifscour- 
ing  of  the  earth  would  be  handsome  beside  them. 
Here,  as  the  climax  of  their  statuary,  are  three  mon- 
strous representations  of  Buddha.  Before  these,  poor 
wretches  coming  in  for  a  moment  bow  with  vacant 


CHINA.  177 

stare  and  then  dodge  out.  This,  they  feel,  is  paying 
full  honor  to  their  god.  The  place  itself  is  dirty,  and 
hung  with  cobwebs. 

If  Buddhism  ever  had  any  spiritual  life  here,  it  ap- 
pears to  have  lost  it.  Of  course,  it  must  have  excited 
enthusiasm  in  the  past,  or  else  its  almost  countless  tem- 
ples never  would  have  been  built.  However,  but  few 
are  being  constructed  at  present.  The  better  informed 
are  slow  to  own  that  they  are  Buddhists;  nevertheless, 
they  are  fond  of  repeating  the  legend  of  Buddha's  ori- 
gin, telling  how  two  lumps  of  clay  were  mixed  with 
blood  and  placed  in  a  jar,  and  in  an  hour  a  man  and 
woman  came  forth  who  soon  begot  Gautama  in  India. 
In  his  childhood  he  was  taught  the  Sanscrit  language 
and  the  "Sixty-four  Books  of  the  Immortals."  One 
day  in  early  manhood,  as  he  was  sitting  under  a  ban- 
yan-tree, great  light  was  thrown  upon  him  and  he 
became  the  Buddha. 

The  sixth  century  before  Christ  was  remarkable  for 
producing  sages  who  exercised  great  influence  over  the 
minds  and  religions  of  men.  Pythagoras  appeared  in 
Greece,  Zoroaster  in  Persia,  Buddha  in  India,  and 
Taotsze  and  Confucius  in  China. 

The  leading  factor  in  Taotsze's  doctrine  was  that 
everything  has  its  spiritual  counterpart  in  this  and  the 
next  world ;  for  this  reason  its  chief  service  consisted 
in  making  offerings  to  the  sainted,  who  would  be  de- 
lighted if  they  were  properly  made,  or  offended  if  they 
were  neglected  or  improperly  done. 

Tao  had  a  large  following,  and  at  present  the  Taoist 
priests  outnumber  in  China  all  others.  Their  gods  are 

12 


ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

manifold.  Like  ancient  Greece,  the  nooks  of  the  land 
are  peopled  with  divinities.  Taoists  describe  the  next 
world  as  the  shadow  of  this ;  real  bodies  are  here,  and 
ghosts  there.  The  priests  of  this  sect  now  are  mere 
fortune-tellers  or  jugglers.  If  trouble  has  come  upon 
a  Taoist,  he  sends  without  delay  for  a  priest,  who 
responds  at  once  to  the  call,  feeling  he  must  drive 
from  the  sick  or  harassed  man  an  evil  spirit.  So  the 
priest  grapples  the  demon;  and  if  successful  in  mas- 
tering him,  the  sick  or  unfortunate  one  is  restored ; 
otherwise  the  evil  spirit  has  him  for  his  own.  If  one 
dies  without  having  any  such  assistance,  the  priest 
rings  a  bell  over  the  corpse,  puts  a  piece  of  money 
in  his  mouth,  and,  like  Charon,  tries  to  take  the  dead 
across  the  Black  River  to  the  mystic  shore.  Tao- 
ism has  degenerated  into  the  grossest  materialism  and 
foolery. 

Another  religion  that  is  met  with  here  is  Confucian- 
ism. Tradition  says  that  in  the  first  century  some  wise 
men  of  this  country,  having  heard  of  the  wondrous  life 
of  Christ,  started  for  the  far  West  to  gain  particulars 
of  it,  and  oh  their  way  chanced  to  learn  of  Confucius, 
and  took  him  to  be  the  Christ,  and  imbibing  his  views, 
returned  to  introduce  his  doctrines  among  the  people. 
They  were  gladly  accepted  by  many.  The  Emperor 
and  high  officials  were  among  the  number,  and  'the 
rulers  have  continued  to  be  the  followers  of  Confucius. 
The  most  magnificent  temple  in  the  Empire  is  the 
Kwotazekien  at  Pekin,  which  the  present  Emperor  en- 
ters twice  a  year  in  state,  and  having  twice  knelt  and 
six  times  bowed  his  head  to  the  earth,  invokes  the 


CHINA.  179 

sage  in  these  words :  "  Great  art  thou,  O  perfect  Sage ! 
Thy  virtue  is  full,  thy  doctrine  complete.  Among 
mortal  men  there  has  not  been  thy  equal !  All  kings 
honor  thee !  Thou  art  the  pattern  of  this  Imperial 
School.  Full  of  awe,  we  sound  our  drums  and  bells 
to  thee !  " 

On  the  same  day  in  the  spring  and  autumn  the  offi- 
cials in  every  city  of  the  land  are  expected  to  go  to 
their  temples  and  worship  the  great  sage. 

Confucius  never  denied  the  existence  of  God ;  still  he 
did  not  vouch  for  him.  His  concern  was  for  man,  be- 
lieving that  he  comes  into  this  world  so  good  and  gifted 
that  if  he  should  do  his  best  in  the  way  of  improve- 
ment, he  would  become  "  the  equal  of  Heaven."  He 
felt  that  man  had  innate  powers  by  the  right  use  of 
which  he  would  reach  the  highest  perfection.  The  pet 
idea  or  corner-stone  of  his  doctrine  is  "  Filial  Piety," 
which  means  reverence  to  your  human  superiors.  So 
this  begins  and  ends  with  man ;  the  highest  being  the 
most  revered  or  adored.  Accordingly,  Confucius  would 
be  the  one  to  be  especially  worshipped.  Converse  with 
those  claiming  to  be  his  followers,  and  you  will  soon 
learn  that  they  regard  him  as  the  wisest  man  that  ever 
lived;  and  so  what  he  said  and  sanctioned  are  alone 
worthy  to  be  received  and  cherished. 

So  the  Chinese  of  to-day  are  no  more  religious  than 
were  the  Chinese  of  old.  In  fact,  they  have  lost  ground. 
Now  it  is  religion  with  them  to  visit  the  tomb  of  Con- 
fucius at  Kewfoo,  or  to  gaze  at  a  pagoda  built  to 
cover  a  bone  or  a  hair  of  Buddha,  or  to  perform  a 
magical  trick,  or  to  throw  a  copper  into  the  coffer  of  the 


ISO  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

temple,  or  to  hurl  a  paper  gewgaw  masticated  into  pulp 
at  the  face  "of  a  deity.  The  Chinese  use  their  religion 
much  as  the  diver  does  his  bell,  to  venture  into  the 
depths  of  worldliness  with  safety,  and  then  grope  after 
sensual  pearls.  Their  religion  is  a  deal  like  their  lan- 
terns ;  when  spread  out  they  appear  to  be  immense,  but 
compress  them  and  they  collapse  into  insignificance. 

The  Chinese  are  an  agricultural  people,  and  seem  to 
delight  in  working  the  soil,  which  is  generally  produc- 
tive. In  the  south  they  take  two  and  three  crops  from 
the  ground  each  year,  but  in  the  north  usually  but  one. 
Their  beasts  of  burden  are  the  buffalo  ox,  the  pony, 
and  donkey.  Seldom  are  flocks  or  herds  seen  in  the 
fields,  or  farmhouses  scattered  through  the  country. 
It  is  the  nature  of  the  Chinese  to  dwell  in  communi- 
ties, for  they  are  very  social.  When  they  meet  one 
another,  they  fail  not  to  give  a  kindly  greeting;  how- 
ever, they  shake  their  own  .hand,  never  that  of  an- 
other. They  marry  early;  and  it  is  understood  that 
every  man  must  have  one  son,  either  his  own  or  one 
by  adoption.  They  rejoice  when  a  son  is  born,  and  are 
apt  to  lament  at  the  birth  of  daughters.  Their  com- 
mon amusement  is  gambling  and  cock-fighting.  They 
have  been  much  given  to  war.  The  present  reigning 
dynasty  is  said  to  be  the  twenty-sixth  of  the  Manchu 
origin,  and  was  established  in  1649.  They  claim  to 
have  a  standing  army  of  seven  hundred  thousand  men, 
a  navy  of  thirty-eight  vessels,  and  a  war-footing  of  one 
million  two  hundred  thousand  soldiers.  In  spite  of 
such  statements  they  are  not  well  prepared  for  war. 
They  are  greatly  behind  the  times  as  to  firearms  and 


CHINA.  l8l 

martial  ordinances.  They  have  little  faith  in  modern 
improvements.  Railroads  are  a  terror  to  them,  and 
opium  swoons  are  their  highest  joy.  It  does  seem 
too  bad  that  one  of  the  richest  countries  of  the  earth 
should  be  held  by  such  bands  of  ignorance.  The  ruby 
and  jasper  and  emerald  and  gold  and  silver  and  iron 
and  coal  and  rosewood  and  camphor  and  ebony  and 
ivory  and  cocoanut  and  pineapple  and  bamboo  and 
rice  and  wheat,  all  imply  that  China  should  be  one  of 
the  fairest  and  most  civilized  lands  of  the  globe.  But 
it  is  far  otherwise,  in  spite  of  all  that  has  been  done 
by  missionary  effort,  foreign  instruction,  or  commercial 
intercourse. 


CHAPTER  V. 

SINGAPORE  AND   CEYLON. 

I  ^HE  steamer  "  Preussen  "  has  had  a  fine  run  from 
-*-  Hong  Kong.  The  Chinese  Sea  has  been  exceed- 
ingly propitious  during  the  past  three  days  and  a  half; 
and  as  the  steamer  swings  up  to  the  wharf  of  Singapore 
all  hearts  are  delighted,  and  glad  to  have  the  opportunity 
of  going  on  shore  to  revel  among  the  luxuries  of  this 
tropical  clime.  The  port,  or  bay,  of  this  city  is  exceed- 
ingly inviting.  It  is  well  protected  by  islands  on  the 
south  and  west.  The  lands  rise  into  mountains,  green 
with  palms  and  bamboo  trees.  Now  is  the  winter  sea- 
son, and  showers  are  so  frequent  as  to  make  vegetation 
smile  in  richest  beauty. 

As  anchors  are  being  dropped  and  the  ship  strongly 
moored,  the  passengers  are  amused  and  surprised  at  the 
Indian  boys  who  come  around  the  steamer  in  their  canoes 
ready  to  dive  or  plunge  into  the  sea  for  five  or  ten-cent 
bits,  as  they  are  thrown  into  the  water.  Seldom,  if  ever, 
do  they  come  to  the  surface  without  bringing  the  piece 
of  money  cast  into  the  sea.  To  say  the  least,  it  pays  to 
spend  some  money  in  this  way,  if  for  nothing  else  than 
to  discover  what  practice  has  done  for  these  fellows. 
As  they  come  up  from  the  deep,  their  black  skins 
glisten,  the  whites  of  their  eyes  are  so  strikingly 


SINGAPORE.  183 

white,  and  their  lips  are  so  ruby,  we  pronounce  them 
handsome.  Then,  as  they  stand  in  their  boats  at  times, 
we  admire  their  fine  forms.  These  fellows  in  this  way 
in  the  course  of  twenty  minutes  earn  several  dollars, 
and  prove  themselves  experts  in  the  water. 

As  we  go  on  shore,  we  find  the  coolies  and  Indian 
men  numerous  and  busy.  Many  of  them  have  their 
little  oxen  in  a  long,  straight  yoke,  fastened  with  ropes 
to  the  necks  and  hitched  to  a  cart  with  big  wheels.  The 
driver  goes  between  his  cattle  when  moving  off,  and  if 
the  load  is  not  properly  balanced,  he  rides  upon  the 
tongue  to  balance  it.  The  cattle  are  small,  with  humps 
just  forward  of  the  shoulders.  They  seem  to  work  very 
kindly,  and  appear  in  good  condition.  The  driver's 
whip  is  light,  and  seldom  applied.  He  makes  no  noise 
in  teaming.  These  natives  are  mostly  naked,  having 
on  simply  a  strip  of  drilling  about  their  loins.  They 
are  quite  slim  and  tall,  —  really  good-looking  and  grace- 
ful in  movement. 

The  hacks,  too,  are  numerous.  This  is  something 
new  in  these  Eastern  lands.  In  Japan  the  carriage  in 
general  use  is  the  jinrikisha;  in  China  it  is  the  sedan; 
but  here,  as  in  Paris  or  Boston,  the  hacks  are  on  every 
hand.  But  the  horses  are  ponies,  though  of  a  larger 
variety  than  the  Shetland.  These  little  horses  are  fleet 
and  strong,  and  many  of  them  are  very  handsome. 
The  drivers  are  mostly  coolies,  and  dressed  with  trou- 
sers, a  loose  tunic,  and  a  turban  of  various  bright  colors. 
They  are  jolly  chaps,  most  of  them,  with  glistening  eyes 
and  pearly  white  teeth.  They  are  sharp  in  driving  bar- 
gains, and  will  get  the  better  of  you,  if  they  can,  every 


1 84  ROUND   THE  GLOBE. 

time.  Hackmen  are  known  not  so  far  from  America, 
who  are  similarly  inclined. 

The  city  of  Singapore  is  three  miles  from  the  port, 
connected  with  it  by  tramway.  The  road  is  smooth, 
and  lined  with  abundant  vegetation.  The  highway  is 
filled  with  teams  bearing  burdens  to  and  fro  from  the 
storehouses  and  vessels.  This  city  of  a  hundred  and 
sixty  thousand  inhabitants  has  grown  up  mostly  since 
our  war.  It  is  true  there  was  a  village  here  as  long 
ago  as  1850.  When  Major  Studer,  our  consul,  came 
here  twenty  years  ago,  where  the  best  part  of  the  city 
stands,  it  was  all  a  jungle,  —  the  habitation  of  monkeys, 
wild  beasts,  and  huge  serpents.  Now  it  has  already 
become  one  of  the  most  important  seaports  of  the 
great  East. 

The  island  on  which  it  stands  is  Malacca,  twenty  miles 
long  and  fourteen  wide,  separated  by  narrow  straits 
from  the  productive  island  of  Sumatra.  It  is  an  inde- 
pendent settlement,  with  a  total  population  of  some  four 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand,  composed  of  Malays,  In- 
dians, and  Chinese.  In  fact,  it  is  one  of  England's  pos- 
sessions. Many  English,  German,  and  other  Western 
foreigners  are  settled  here,  carrying  on  the  commerce. 
The  houses  are  mostly  bungalows,  presenting  a  fantas- 
tic appearance ;  still,  there  are  many  fine  residences  and 
inviting  homes,  reminding  the  Westerner  of  England 
and  the  United  States. 

The  public  buildings  are  truly  English.  The  court- 
house, town-hall,  post-office,  and  custom-house  are  sub- 
stantial and  beautiful.  The  commercial  square  looks 
out  upon  the  sea,  and  is  adorned  with  a  stately  statue. 


SINGAPORE.  185 

The  Buddhist  temple  and  the  mosque  of  Mohammed 
are  here. 

The  stores  of  the  natives  are  disorderly  inside  and 
outside,  and  the  merchants  act  as  though  they  had  not 
yet  learned  the  meaning  of  civilization.  Barbers  are 
doing  their  shaving  on  the  sidewalks,  and  some  of  the 
women  are  washing  their  dishes  and  clothes  in  the 
ditches.  Here  we  see  what  we  have  not  seen  else- 
where, —  travelling  restaurants.  As  we  inspect  them, 
we  have  no  desire  to  taste  or  eat.  As  we  are  passing 
we  see  blacksmiths  hard  at  work,  tinsmiths  soldering, 
cobblers  drawing  the  wax-end,  carpenters  pushing  the 
plane,  tailors  cutting  and  sewing,  women  spinning  and 
weaving,  policemen  (white  and  black)  patrolling  the 
streets.  You  see  merchants  here  from  all  the  coun- 
tries of  the  East.  As  a  rule,  the  different  nationalities 
are  exceedingly  clannish.  There  may  be  a  necessity 
for  this  which  does  not  appear  on  the  face  of  things. 
However,  this  exclusiveness  is  almost  certain  to  breed 
jealousies.  Class  ideas  and  feelings  can  never  level 
up  society;  they  pull  in  the  wrong  direction.  This 
expressed  itself  in  the  police  court,  as  we  witnessed 
the  examination  of  some  sixty  men,  women,  and 
boys,  who  had  been  arraigned  within  the  last  twenty- 
four  hours,  and  most  of  them  for  petty  violations  of 
law:  the  larger  number  had  been  thieving;  some  had 
been  driving  fast,  some  indulging  in  sensuality;  but 
not  one  was  before  the  tribunal  for  drunkenness.  Dur- 
ing the  examination  the  court-room  was  filled  with 
visitors.  As  cases  were  heard  and  sentences  and  fines 
declared,  it  was  plain  that  there  is  a  disposition  on  the 


1 86  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

part  of  those  in  authority  to  crowd  upon  the  lower 
classes.  The  way  things  are  done,  tells.  If  the  spirit 
is  right,  the  rich  and  poor  will  be  fairly  dealt  with,  and 
the  final  results  will  prove  satisfactory. 

In  the  suburbs  of  the  city  and  even  miles  out  there 
are  villas  beautifully  situated  on  hills  and  embowered 
in  vines  and  trees.  In  places,  as  we  are  riding  along, 
the  atmosphere  is  laden  with  sweetest  perfumes.  The 
birds,  too,  are  pouring  out  their  sweetest  strains.  The 
plumage  of  some  of  these  songsters  is  brilliant.  Little 
monkeys  are  skipping  about  on  every  hand.  The  fruits 
are  just  in  their  prime;  the  cocoanuts,  dates,  bread- 
fruit, and  oranges  are  hanging  ripe  in  the  top  of  trees. 
Tea  and  coffee  plants  are  in  blossom.  Two  miles  from 
the  city  is  a  botanical  garden.  The  grounds  are  hand- 
somely laid  out  with  roads  and  lawns.  The  plants  in 
the  conservatory  are  almost  countless.  The  variety 
of  ferns  is  very  full,  and  many  of  them  exquisitely 
fine.  The  garden  has  a  great  variety  of  surface,  and 
is  well  furnished  with  water.  In  one  of  the  lakes  the 
Victoria  lily  is  in  full  blossom,  and  several  lotuses  are 
in  bloom.  The  tropical  plants  cannot  help  flourishing 
here,  for  as  it  is  only  eighty  miles  from  the  equator 
and  close  by  the  sea,  its  temperature  is  very  even 
the  year  round.  Here  is  a  banyan-tree  twenty  feet 
in  diameter  through  its  trunk,  but  this  is  not  so  grand 
a  tree  as  the  redwood  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas.  The 
locking  together  of  the  branches  and  the  numerous 
bodies  by  roots  growing  down  from  the  limbs  for 
support  affords  a  good  rendezvous  for  serpents  and 
scorpions. 


SINGAPORE.  l8; 

It  is  a  surprise  to  find  so  many  of  the  natives  speak- 
ing the  English  language.  So  it  is  all  through  the  East. 
It  would  seem  that  this  is  soon  to  become  the  common 
tongue  of  the  whole  globe.  Really,  one  needs  no  other 
now,  to  travel  in  all  lands. 

It  is  stated  that  the  Christian  religion  is  making  rapid 
progress  here.  The  leading  Protestant  church  is  the 
English,  although  the  Presbyterian  is  strong;  but  of 
the  Christian  sects  the  Roman  Catholic  outnumbers 
all  the  others.  Their  forms  seem  to  fascinate  the 
natives.  The  Buddhist  and  Mohammedans  are  strong, 
if  you  judge  from  numbers;  yet  it  is  a  fact  that  the 
former  is  fast  becoming  a  dead  letter;  its  followers 
believe  in  little  or  nothing  but  fate.  They  regard  the 
priest  as  a  sort  of  fortune-teller;  and  so  when  con- 
science is  smiting  them  terribly,  or  they  have  some 
doubtful  scheme  in  hand,  they  go  to  the  altar  or  to 
the  priest,  hoping  this  may  prove  a  lucky  experiment, 
and  promising,  if  they  are  successful,  they  will  do  great 
things  for  their  religion ;  but  if  they  fail  in  their  pro- 
ject, then  curses  and  blasphemies  are  showered  upon 
church  and  priests  without  stint.  The  Mohammedans 
are  far  more  honest  and  sincere  in  their  religion,  and 
very  tenacious  of  their  views.  They  are  ready  to  give 
all  they  have,  if  they  can  only  make  a  pilgrimage  to 
Mecca.  This  they  believe  will  fit  them  for  paradise. 
Quite  a  deal  of  interest  is  expressed  in  education  by 
the  foreign  population. 

But  now,  after  these  outings  and  gathering  up  of  facts, 
we  are  pleased  to  return  to  the  noble  "  Preussen  "  and 
speed  on  through  the  straits  of  Sumatra.  As  the  sun 


1 88  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

glows  and  cooling  breezes  bring  their  tonics,  the  green 
hills  and  fair  seas  present  a  charming  landscape.  It 
would  be  difficult  to  find  a  more  inviting  picture.  In  the 
halls  of  memory  will  be  hung  henceforth  fairest  views 
of  Singapore  and  its  surroundings. 

The  Indian  Ocean  abounds  in  rich  islands,  but  among 
the  richest  and  greenest  is  Ceylon.  It  has  been  rightly 
christened  "  the  gem  of  the  Eastern  Seas."  From 
whatever  direction  you  approach,  it  rises  above  the 
waters  like  a  chief  of  fairest  proportions  swaying  his 
sceptre  aloft  upon  the  insular  height  over  the  deep 
azure  below. 

The  island  is  fringed  with  an  emerald  border,  and 
carpeted  with  greenest  palms  and  tropical  plants.  Tra- 
dition and  history  speak  of  it  as  the  ancient  Ophir  and 
Tarshish.  Who  can  guess,  then,  the  deeds  that  have 
been  wrought  upon  it,  or  the  men  that  performed 
them?  It  is  plain  that  when  Wijags  captured  it  in 
543  B.  c.,  it  was  known  as  Serendib,  and  was  rich  in 
rubies  and  pearls.  Buddhism  was  introduced  into  it  as 
early  as  307  B.  C.,  and  at  Anarayapoosa,  the  ancient 
capital,  the  Bo-tree,  Buddha's,  is  shown  and  reported  to 
have  been  planted  288  B.  C. 

It  is  said  that  the  kings  were  early  wont  to  send 
gems  and  pearls  from  this  land  to  the  princes  of  Hin- 
dostan.  Because  of  its  wealth,  it  has  been  coveted  by 
different  nationalities.  The  old  Greeks  and  Romans 
sought  it.  The  Arabs  clutched  at  it.  The  Portuguese 
seized  it  in  1505,  and  held  it  for  a  hundred  and  forty 
years ;  and  then  the  Dutch  came  this  way  and  seized 
it,  holding  it  for  a  hundred  and  fifty  years ;  and  after 


CEYLON.  189 

this  the  English  laid  their  hands  upon  it,  and  still  hold 
it  in  their  grasp. 

Landing  at  Colombo,  its  capital  and  chief  seaport, 
we  discover  ships  in  the  harbor  floating  the  flags  of  all 
parts  of  the  world.  Large  blocks  or  storehouses  line 
the  shore  for  quite  a  distance.  Before  advancing  far, 
we  learn  from  the  stir  and  the  modern  structures  that 
this  is  no  insignificant  mart.  It  has  a  population  of  a 
hundred  and  twenty  thousand.  Scotch  and  English  are 
the  leading  people,  and  look  as  they  are  wont  in  their 
own  land,  save  that  they  are  attired  in  white.  But  the 
natives  attract  special  attention.  Among  them  the 
Singalese  constitute  the  aristocracy.  Tall  and  lean 
they  are,  with  copper-colored  skins.  The  men  are 
dressed  in  loose  trousers  and  frocks,  with  bare  feet,  and 
heads  thickly  set  with  tortoise-shell  combs.  The  coolies, 
who  outnumber  the  rest  and  are  the  laborers  and  ser- 
vants, are  nearly  nude,  having  only  a  strip  of  cloth  about 
their  hips.  They  are  moving  about  with  little  oxen  in 
a  long  yoke,  attached  to  a  big  cart,  or  are  driving 
"  hackories,"  each  drawn  by  a  single  bull,  or  are  bear- 
ing burdens  on  their  backs,  or  digging  in  the  dirt. 

The  soldiers  are  conspicuous  here,  as  they  always  are 
under  the  English  flag.  As  you  pass  along  the  side- 
walks, you  will  be  entreated  to  enter  this  and  that 
jewelry  store  to  buy  precious  things.  Stepping  into 
the  average  one,  you  find  many  pretty  articles  made 
from  tortoise  shells  and  pearls,  while  the  eye  is  almost 
dazzled  with  the  brilliants.  The  sapphires,  rubies, 
topazes,  garnets,  and  amethysts  set  in  gold  are  be- 
yond counting,  and  they  say  that  they  are  very  cheap ; 


I QO  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

but  on  inquiring  the  price  you  will  be  told  about  six 
times  what  they  expect  to  get  for  their  merchandise. 
To  say  the  least,  it  is  difficult  to  leave  these  fascinating 
things  without  investing  somewhat  in  them.  The  Eng- 
lish tourists  are  sure  to  buy  diamonds,  but  they  seldom 
really  get  the  genuine  article ;  however,  it  is  all  the  same, 
if  they  paid  a  large  price. 

Colombo  is  spread  out  over  an  extensive  area,  and 
most  of  the  dwelling-houses  are  embowered  in  palm- 
trees.  They  are  built  of  brick,  mostly  one  story  high  and 
surrounded  by  verandas.  In  this  hot  climate  the  people 
wish  to  get  as  close  to  the  ground  as  possible,  so  their 
houses  are  in  the  form  of  bungalows.  Some  of  the 
villas  are  marked  at  their  entrances  with  the  most  clas- 
sic names.  On  a  few  of  these  streets  one  would  almost 
imagine  he  had  got  into  ancient  Athens  or  the  city  of 
the  Caesars.  The  site  on  which  the  city  stands  is  very 
level,  and  in  its  centre  is  a  large  artificial  lake.  So  sur- 
rounded and  divided  by  wrater,  it  is  a  very  damp  town. 

The  missionary  is  here,  under  the  auspices  of  differ- 
ent churches.  In  numbers,  the  English  Church  takes 
the  lead  ;  but  they  will  not  have  it  much  longer,  if  the 
Methodists  continue  to  work  as  they  have  worked.  The 
Presbyterians  present  a  good  showing,  and  the  Baptists 
are  doing  a  fair  work.  The  Romans  and  Greeks  are 
here,  and  the  Salvationists  as  well.  The  latter  are 
under  able  leaders,  and  are  having  surprising  success 
among  the  natives.  This  is  not  only  true  of  them  in 
Ceylon,  but  in  India  and  other  lands  of  the  East.  The 
two  men  in  charge  of  the  work  here  are  graduates  from 
Oxford  and  Cambridge.  They  seem  most  devoutly 


CEYLON.  IQI 

consecrated  to  their  mission,  being  dressed  like  the 
natives  and  living  as  the  natives  do.  They  are  Wes- 
leyan  in  belief,  and  stanch  temperance  men. 

We  find  three  colleges  here,  which  are  well  patronized. 
Public  schools,  however,  are  wanting.  They  have 
what  they  call  Government  schools,  but  these  are 
tuition  schools,  aided  somewhat  by  the  State.  The 
feeling  is  rife  among  the  English  subjects  that  the  chil- 
dren of  the  natives  are  really  better  off  without  an  edu- 
cation than  they  would  be  with  it.  What  a  mistake, 
what  a  wrong ! 

The  climate  is  such  as  not  to  favor  hard  mental  work ; 
so  the  island  can  never  be  renowned  for  high  scholar- 
ship, unless  it  is  the  result  of  immigration.  The 
museum  erected  by  Governor  Gregory  is  a  stately 
building,  and  well  filled  with  a  variety  of  specimens. 
The  relics  from  the  old  capital  are  superb,  showing  a 
style  of  art  different  from  that  of  the  old  Greeks  or 
Egyptians. 

But  what  interests  a  stranger  most  are  the  natural 
products.  The  variety  of  palms  is  complete.  There 
are  even  forests  of  cocoa-nut  palms.  These  are  full  of 
fruit  now.  Just  look  at  that  tree,  which  is  a  foot  through 
at  the  butt  and  fifty  feet  tall,  topped  with  its  crown  of 
wide  leaves,  close  under  which  are  some  twenty  large 
cocoanuts.  This  is  the  favorite  tree  among  the  natives ; 
for  it  furnishes  bread  and  milk  for  their  tables,  oil  for 
their  lamps,  timber  for  their  houses,  wood  for  their  fires, 
matting  for  their  beds,  and  will  exchange  for  all  other 
essentials  in  life.  The  date-palms  and  banana-trees  are 
hanging  full  of  fruit. 


1 92  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

A  few  miles  from  the  town,  the  rice-fields  are  waving 
with  a  rich  harvest,  which  is  the  staple  of  the  natives. 
These  occupy  the  lowest  ground,  for  they  must  be  cov- 
ered with  water  while  the  crop  is  growing.  Still  farther 
on  and  up,  we  come  to  tea,  coffee,  cinchona,  and  cinna- 
mon plantations. 

The  tea  is  produced  on  plants  which  have  been  grow- 
ing three  or  more  years.  They  have  been  pruned  into 
bushes  which  are  some  three  and  four  feet  apart. 
The  leaves  are  of  a  very  dark  green.  Women  are 
scattered  through  the  plantation,  culling  and  picking 
the  leaves.  They  are  careful  not  to  take  off  too  many. 
In  this  island  they  gather  the  leaves  every  day;  that 
is,  they  begin  on  one  side  of  a  field  working  to  the 
opposite,  and  so  by  the  time  they  get  round,  the  plants 
first  picked  are  ready  to  be  picked  again.  This  is  black 
tea ;  and  so  is  all  tea  when  picked ;  however,  the  ten- 
derest  leaves  are  gathered  when  they  are  to  be  so  dried 
and  chemically  changed  as  to  have  a  green  color.  The 
oldest  plants  produce  the  best  tea;  and  here  it  grows 
even  to  an  elevation  of  six  thousand  feet. 

The  coffee  is  produced  from  a  larger  plant,  yielding 
fruit  once  a  year,  as  our  pears  and  apples  do.  -But 
the  coffee  plants  are  failing  here,  from  the  fact  that  a 
fungus  has  attacked  the  stems,  soon  killing  them.  Great 
failures  have  taken  place  here  on  account  of  this  pest. 

The  cinchona-trees  are  about  the  size  of  our  small 
fruit-trees.  These  are  not  much  revenue,  because  of 
the  abundance  produced  here  and  elsewhere.  Cinnamon 
grows  in  the  form  of  bushes,  and  pays  the  gardener 
well. 


CEYLON.  193 

The  surface  of  Ceylon  is  greatly  diversified.  The 
outcropping  stone  is  mostly  granite.  The  hills  and 
mountains  are  strangely  piled  up,  representing  every 
imaginable  shape.  In  the  rocks  and  along  the  rivers 
the  precious  stones  are  found.  The  only  coarse  min- 
eral of  commercial  value  is  plumbago.  Along  the 
shores  pearls  and  beautiful  shells  abound. 

Not  more  than  half  of  the  land  surface,  as  yet,  is  im- 
proved. Jungle  holds  sway  over  some  of  the  richest 
portions.  In  these  wild  woods  we  may  find  very  valu- 
able trees,  such  as  the  ebony,  sandal-wood,  and  cala- 
mander,  used  for  cabinet  and  ornamental  purposes; 
the  India-rubber  tree  is  also  common.  In  these  wild 
realms  elephants,  bears,  lions,  tigers,  and  deer  roam 
at  their  pleasure.  It  seems  strange  it  should  be  so, 
in  a  land  about  the  size  and  shape  of  Ireland,  having 
a  population  of  three  millions.  While  the  island  has 
many  rivers  and  some  high  and  large  waterfalls,  it  has 
no  natural  lakes ;  those  that  do  exist  have  been  dammed 
back  by  artificial  means. 

The  birds  are  plentiful  and  full  of  song.  The  notes 
of  some  of  them  are  equal  to  those  of  the  nightingale. 
It  is  said  there  are  more  than  three  hundred  varieties 
in  this  island  alone.  In  places  where  we  have  been 
in  the  morning  and  evening,  it  would  seem  almost  as 
though  we  had  got  into  a  paradise,  the  air  would  be  so 
full  of  sweetest  strains. 

But  the  phenomenon  of  animal  life  here  is  the  period- 
ical flight  of  butterflies,  which  takes  place  twice  a  year, 
at  the  beginning  of  the  monsoons.  In  the  spring  the 
insects  are  yellow,  and  in  the  early  winter  they  are 

'3 


194  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

brown.  From  all  over  the  land  they  come  together; 
mounting  up  in  one  immense  swarm,  they  fly  against 
the  monsoon.  They  are  as  extensive  as  the  largest 
flocks  of  pigeons  in  the  West,  or  the  swarms  of  locusts 
in  Palestine.  The  flight  lasts  for  days,  and  then  they 
are  gone,  and  no  one  is  able  to  tell  where.  But  others 
are  sure  to  come  as  the  years  roll  round.  They  do 
no  harm. 

Ceylon  abounds  in  reptiles.  There  are  some  sixty 
species  of  snakes.  Some  of  these  are  large  enough  to 
crush  elephants  in  their  folds,  and  others  have  deadly 
fangs.  So  in  this  land  of  verdure  and  beauty  there 
are  drawbacks.  Should  you  be  here  during  one  of 
their  average  thunder-storms  you  would  be  likely  to 
feel  the  very  heavens  were  being  broken  in  pieces. 
The  thunder  is  often  terrific,  and  the  lightning  of  the 
fiercest  character.  These  showers,  too,  come  often  in 
the  rainy  season. 

In  paying  a  visit  to  Kandy,  which  is  an  old  city  up 
among  the  mountains,  seventy  miles  from  Colombo, 
we  enjoy  some  of  the  most  picturesque  views,  as  the 
train  climbs  up  and  then  descends.  The  lofty  sum- 
mits, the  deep  vales,  the  bared  rocks,  the  green  fields, 
the  precipices,  the  rushing  streams,  the  foaming  wa- 
terfalls, the  folding  of  the  hills  and  mountains  to- 
gether, the  craggy  sides  and  serrated  tops,  the  flicker- 
ing shadows,  the  clear  sunlight,  the  winding  train,  the 
going  in  and  out  of  tunnels,  all  serve  to  present  en- 
chanting pictures,  such  as  only  the  great  Artist  can 
paint. 

In  Kandy  we  find  a  quaint  old  town  of  some  ten  thou- 


CEYLON.  195 

sand  inhabitants,  living  much  as  their  ancestors  have  lived 
for  centuries.  Here  is  one  of  the  uninjured  Buddhist 
temples.  Ceylon  is  regarded  as  the  most  classic  ground 
of  this  religion.  Here  and  elsewhere  are  remains  of 
temples  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  four  hundred  feet 
high.  The  temple  here  was  built  to  hold  the  tooth  of 
Buddha.  In  the  old  capital  one  was  constructed  to  hold 
Buddha's  tooth;  another  his  collar-bone;  and  another 
called  the  Brazen  Palace,  was  nine  stories  high,  stand- 
ing upon  sixteen  hundred  pillars. 

It  is  estimated  that  one  million  seven  hundred  thou- 
sand of  the  inhabitants  are  Buddhists,  and  five  hundred 
ninety-five  thousand  are  Brahmans.  Now  these  people 
have  no  Sabbaths,  but  festal  days,  at  which  time  they 
may  bow  before  some  image,  or  throw  a  coin  at  the 
face  of  Buddha,  and  then  turn  away  to  sport  and  have 
a  jolly  time.  The  devil-dancers  command  more  atten- 
tion than  the  ordinary  priests.  Judging  these  religions 
by  their  fruits,  we  see  they  are  failures,  or  rather  they 
have  dragged  the  people  down  instead  of  elevating 
them.  The  devil-dancers  among  these  orders  number 
some  two  thousand.  These  fellows  become  skilled  in 
twisting  themselves  into  all  sorts  of  shapes,  while  beat- 
ing themselves  and  making  the  most  horrid  grimaces. 
Conjurors  and  astrologers,  too,  thrive  among  these  peo- 
ple. So  while  we  may  delight  in  the  natural  beauties 
of  this  land,  and  admit  that  it  is  a  gem  in  azure  set- 
ting, we  are  troubled  and  pained  to  find  so  many  of 
its  natives  degraded.  It  would  seem  as  if  there  were 
something  in  the  climate  enervating  and  destructive  to 
religious  growth. 


196  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

The  Protestant  Missions  count  in  their  ranks  sixty 
thousand  converts  in  the  whole  island ;  but  a  large  ma- 
jority of  these  could  not  bear  the  Christian  test.  Still, 
it  is  a  great  blessing  that  the  missionary  is  here,  doing 
the  best  he  can.  He  is  deserving  of  our  prayers  and 
financial  aid  to  speed  him  on  in  his  exalted  work.  One 
thing  is  certain,  this  land  can  never  become  morally 
and  mentally  beautiful  except  through  the  power  of 
Christianity.  It  can  quicken  mind  and  heart.  It  not 
only  makes  the  face  fair,  but  the  heart  sound  to  the 
very  core.  It  is  not  enough  for  a  country  to  produce 
precious  stones,  but  it  is  sufficient  for  it  to  produce 
perfected  characters. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

INDIA. 

A  LL  on  board  the  "  Rosetta  "  are  extremely  happy ; 
*~*>  for  we  are  leaving  the  Indian  Sea,  so  often  subject 
to  typhoons  that  tear  in  pieces  stanchest  crafts.  The 
voyage  thus  far  from  Ceylon  has  been  propitious.  Not 
a  ripple  is  to  be  seen,  save  those  made  by  the  tiny  flying- 
fish  as  they  dart  out  of  the  water  and  spin  over  its  sur- 
face, or  by  the  floating  turtles  as  they  kick  and  dodge 
out  of  sight.  The  sun  has  just  turned  from  his  farthest 
southern  sign  and  entered  the  constellation  Pisces.  It 
is  that  part  of  the  solar  year  in  which  the  people  of 
India  feel  it  is  good  to  be  born  and  blessed  to  die. 
This  is  the  season  to  marry  and  make  merry.  The 
gates  of  Swarga  are  now  wide  open,  and  there  is  no 
waiting  of  souls  in  darkness  before  they  pass  into  light. 
It  would  not  be  thus,  if  the  sun  were  measuring  his 
longest  and  hottest  days.  This  is  the  time  when  the 
beads  are  placed  upon  the  young  Brahman's  neck; 
when  new  clothes  are  donned,  and  friends  mutually 
indulge  in  sweetmeats  and  sesame  cakes. 

We  are  sailing  up  the  Hoogly  River,  which  is  one  of 
the  outlets  of  the  great  Ganges.  Its  waters  are  yellow 
with  sediment,  signifying  that  the  Himalayas  and  high- 
lands of  India  are  gradually  being  borne  on  to  the  sea. 
So  it  is :  change  is  the  order  of  this  world.  On  either 


198  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

side  of  us  now  is  the  country  in  which  Menes  legislated 
2188  B.  C.  Possibly  he  was  the  same  monarch  who  had 
distinguished  himself  in  Egypt.  In  1772  B.  C.,  the 
great  Sesostris,  King  of  the  Nile,  invaded  it.  After  this 
Bactrian  and  Median  kings  possessed  it.  In  522  B.  C. 
Darius  Hystaspes  subdued  it.  In  325  B.  C.  the  mighty 
Alexander  marched  into  it.  In  170  B.  C.  Antiochus 
laid  claim  to  it.  Afterward  history  is  nearly  silent 
as  to  this  land,  until  the  Mohammedans  invaded  it  in 
A.  D.  1193.  Thenceforward  it  has  been  subject  to  fre- 
quent changes.  At  one  time  John  II.  of  Portugal  pos- 
sessed it.  Afterward  Tamerlane  subdued  it ;  and  later 
the  English  came  in  possession  of  it,  and  still  control 
it.  As  we  now  look  out  upon  its  surface,  we  see  as  far 
as  the  eye  can  reach  only  one  extended  plain.  Were 
it  not  for  the  palms  and  bamboos,  it  would,  indeed, 
be  monotonous.  Large  areas  are  occupied  by  jun- 
gles, where  the  lion,  tiger,  and  cobra  reign.  Reaching 
Diamond  Harbor,  twenty-one  guns  are  fired  on  shore, 
according  to  the  custom,  which  is  a  welcome  to  this 
land  of  many  nationalities.  At  length  James  and 
Mary  Bank  is  passed  in  safety.  Officers  and  passen- 
gers rejoice  when  this  is  over,  for  many  a  vessel  has 
been  swallowed  up  in  these  whirling  sands.  Crafts  of 
varied  description  are  now  floating  on  the  river.  Soon 
the  eye  is  delighted  with  the  gardens  of  Oudhs  which 
run  close  down  to  the  water.  Next  come  the  fine  Ori- 
ental Steam  Navigation  buildings.  Hamlets  now  dot 
the  shores,  nestled  under  knots  of  palmyra-trees.  Now 
the  dark  groves  of  the  Botanical  Gardens  are  seen  on  the 
western  bank.  Soon  our  steamer  is  moored  at  a  wharf 


THE    JUMNA     MUSJID,    DELHI. 


INDIA.  199 

before  we  reach  the  city  of  Calcutta,  which  is  the  Liver- 
pool of  the  East.  As  we  ride  across  its  esplanade,  in 
front  of  temples,  palatial  structures,  an  equestrian  statue, 
and  a  lofty  column,  we  are  disposed  to  say,  If  the  Eng- 
lish found  this  a  city  of  bamboo  and  mud  huts,  they 
have  changed  it  to  stone  and  beauty.  But  advancing 
into  the  old  parts,  it  would  seem  they  are  still  as  they 
have  been  for  ages.  Looking  at  the  crowds  moving 
along  the  streets,  we  marvel  whence  they  all  came. 
There  are  Arabs  from  Muscat,  Persians  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Euphrates,  Afghans  from  the  northern  frontier, 
coolies  from  Zanzibar,  negroes  from  Malay;  also  Chi- 
nese, Fakirs,  Sepoys,  and  Europeans.  Though  they  are 
so  unlike  as  to  faces  and  forms,  still  they  apparently 
move  on  without  any  jarring.  As  we  witness  the  stir- 
ring multitudes,  we  can  scarcely  imagine  how  so  much 
flesh  and  blood  can  be  supplied  with  the  necessaries  of 
life.  For  the  most  part,  they  do  not  indicate  a  high 
state  of  living.  The  bare  legs  and  arms  of  many  of 
them  show  more  bone  and  muscle  than  fat.  This  does 
not  seem  strange,  as  we  are  informed  that  but  few  of 
these  men  can  command  more  than  ten  cents  a  day,  or 
some  four  dollars  a  month. 

The  head-dresses  and  garments  are  of  many  and 
bright  colors.  Some  of  their  foreheads  are  marked  with 
red  or  white  paint,  to  signify  their  class.  The  women  are 
adorned  with  rings  on  their  toes  and  fingers,  in  their 
noses  and  ears,  and  with  bangles  round  their  wrists  and 
ankles.  In  places  of  business,  wherever  it  is  possible, 
the  people  are  sitting  on  their  legs  and  feet.  It  ap- 
pears natural  for  them  to  squat.  The  Hindu  life 


200  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

is  a  fixed  factor.  The  motley  population  do  a  thou- 
sand things  as  they  always  have  been  done.  The  unclad 
merchant  still  posts  his  accounts  with  a  reed  on  a  long 
roll  of  paper.  The  barber  shaves  his  subjects  wher- 
ever he  finds  them,  even  if  it  be  in  the  ditch.  The 
shampooer  does  his  work  of  snapping  the  joints  and 
greasing  the  back  on  the  sidewalk.  The  Gura  drones 
out  his  Sanskrit  to  the  boys  sitting  in  the  sand ;  the 
Bansula-player  pipes ;  the  zither-singer  twangs  his  wires ; 
worshippers  bathe  in  the  Ganges  and  throw  water  at  the  ' 
sun,  or  deck  Signus  with  flowers,  as  their  ancestors  did. 
The  boy  must  work  as  his  father  wrought ;  were  he  a 
cobbler,  so  must  the  son  be.  Should  he  fail  of  this, 
then  he  loses  his  caste  and  must  descend  to  some  lower 
occupation.  Even  the  children  must  eat  what  their 
parents  did,  and  as  they  did.  No  Brahman  can  sit  at 
the  table  with  a  European.  The  laws  of  caste  here  are 
as  unyielding  as  those  of  the  Medes  and  Persians ;  pos- 
sibly they  are  the  offshoots  from  them.  The  vehicles 
for  transportation  are  sure  to  attract  attention.  The 
carts  drawn  by  hump-backed,  patient  little  oxen,  or 
jingling  Johnny  steers  trotting  before  the  hackories,  are 
certain  to  amuse  the  stranger.  Then  the  palanquin, 
borne  on  the  backs  of  four  coolies,  which  is  just  large 
enough  for  a  man  to  crawl  into  and  remain  in  a  lying 
position,  is  not  likely  to  make  you  feel  as  though  you 
would  be  pleased  to  ride  in  that  manner.  The  hacks, 
buggies,  and  tramways  remind  you  of  home.  The  bare- 
limbed  Indian  girls  glide  along  with  baskets  full  of 
"  bratties "  of  cow  manure  on  their  heads,  with  naked 
babies  astride  their  hips;  and  the  "Cheesties"  go  about 


INDIA.  201 

with  water-skins  sprinkling  the  streets.  Bhangy  coolies, 
with  heavy  burdens  attached  to  the  ends  of  bamboo 
rods  and  balanced  on  their  shoulders,  go  trotting  along 
as  though  stepping  on  eggs.  The  street  scenes  reveal 
as  much  of  human  nature  as  can  anywhere  else  be 
learned.  The  street  life  in  Calcutta  is  novel  and  often 
surprising  to  the  foreigner. 

In  every  open  space,  save  on  portions  of  the  .espla- 
nade, the  date-trees  wave  their  fronded  crowns,  sheltering 
the  squirrel  and  the  parrot,  and  overtopping  many  a 
bungalow.  The  gray-necked  crows  are  here  in  multi- 
tudes, ready  to  catch  at  every  piece  of  food  that  is 
thrown  into  the  street.  The  hawks,  too,  swing  above 
the  city,  blowing  their  shrill  whistles.  There  is  abun- 
dance of  life,  aside  from  the  human,  in  this  great  capital. 
Particularly  in  the  night-time,  if  not  properly  guarded 
by  nets  and  drugs,  you  are  certain  to  be  bled  by  insects 
with  sharp  and  deep-penetrating  blades. 

One  cannot  remain  here  long  without  discovering 
that  the  cow  is  held  in  highest  veneration.  None  but 
the  Benjasas  among  the  natives  will  allow  this  creature 
to  labor.  She  is  suffered  to  wander  whither  she  will,  even 
if  it  be  into  the  shop  or  house.  The  Brahmans  will  go 
hungry  themselves  rather  than  not  have  the  cows  prop- 
erly fed.  Everything  that  comes  from  them  is  consid- 
ered sacred.  So  girls  follow  them  to  gather  up  the 
droppings  and  plaster  them  on  walls  and  in  conspicuous 
places,  using  them  for  fuel  in  cooking,  that  the  ashes 
may  be  mixed  with  coloring  powders  to  mark  the  fore- 
heads, necks,  and  arms  of  pious  Hindus.  India  does 
not  change,  so  far  as  the  natives  think  and  do.  Their 


202  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

castes  bind  them  fast;  and  these  are  religious,  or  under 
the  control  of  priests.  Here,  as  elsewhere  in  India,  the 
Brahmans  take  the  lead ;  but  the  Jainas,  who  are  Buddh- 
ists and  noted  for  their  costly  temples,  have  strength; 
the  Sikhs,  whose  religion  is  a  mixture  of  Brahmanism 
and  Islamism,  have  considerable  influence ;  the  Mussul- 
mans are  strong ;  the  Thugs,  who  believe  that  robberies 
and  murders  are  under  divine  direction,  fill  a  niche  here. 
These  different  sects  are  distinct,  and  have  as  little  as 
possible  to  do  with  one  another.  Their  costumes  and 
the  seals  on  their  foreheads  indicate  their  religion  and 
rank. 

The  masses  are  grossly  ignorant,  and  rely  upon  the 
priests  for  direction;  and  yet  these  are  illiterate  with 
few  exceptions.  Five  times  a  day  the  Brahmans  and 
Mohammedans  repeat  their  prayers.  The  former  bathe 
in  the  Ganges,  or  in  tanks  of  water  taken  from  the  sa- 
cred river,  once  or  twice,  and  many  of  them  five  times, 
between  sunrise  and  sunset. 

As  we  visit  the  principal  Brahman  temple  at  ten 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  we  find  it  crowded  with  wor- 
shippers. Men  and  women  of  all  ages  and  conditions 
are  here.  This  temple  has  been  dedicated  to  Siva,  the 
god  of  destruction.  It  is  really  a  cluster  of  buildings, 
made  of  stone,  with  steeples  expressive  of  taste  and 
beauty.  But  oh  the  jumble,  the  confusion,  the  wretch- 
edness!  We  had  little  dreamed  that  such  a  state  of 
things  could  still  exist.  Here  we  look  through  a  dark 
avenue  of  stone,  and,  lo,  there  is  the  image  of  the  god 
they  worship.  Its  swinish  chops  and  snakish  eyes  pre- 
sent a  horrid  aspect.  Can  it  be  possible  that  human 


INDIA.  2O3 

beings  are  bowing  before  that  frightful  object?  Yes, 
by  the  thousands  daily.  In  one  of  the  courts  forty  kids 
have  already  been  sacrificed  this  morning  to  atone  for 
the  sins  of  miserable  wretches.  Just  now  two  more  in- 
nocent creatures  are  led  hither.  The  slayer  is  at  hand, 
a  swarthy-looking  fellow.  A  woman  takes  the  goat,  and 
slips  its  neck  down  between  two  standards ;  and  now  the 
executioner  lifts  his  heavy  blade  and  severs  the  head 
from  the  body,  looking  around,  as  much  as  to  say, 
"Was  not  that  well  done?"  Upon  this  about  twenty 
women  scramble  and  clutch  for  the  different  parts. 
The  dogs  are  here  to  lap  up  the  blood.  As  we  observe 
the  sacrificers,  their  faces  are  serious,  and  their  mien 
implies,  "  There,  it  is  done ;  we  are  glad  to  be  free  from 
smiting  consciences."  Perchance  these  pilgrims  have 
walked  a  hundred  miles  to  secure  this  requital  of  some 
terrible  wickedness.  The  blood  of  the  kids  will  be 
mixed  with  sacred  ashes,  and  the  priest  will  put  a  daub 
of  it  on  their  foreheads,  between  the  eyes,  and  then  they 
will  return  home  with  joy  and  thanksgiving.  Such  is 
the  experience  almost  every  day  of  the  year  at  this 
temple  and  at  thousands  of  others  in  the  land.  Lepers 
and  beggars  are  here  in  throngs.  Some  have  come 
with  their  beds,  it  would  seem,  to  stay.  Why,  look  at 
the  vermin  on  them !  They  do  not  believe  in  taking 
the  life  of  any  living  thing,  unless  it  be  as  an  offering  to 
Brahma  or  some  of  his  deities.  Only  see  the  poor 
coolie  on  that  bed  in  a  nude  state.  He  has  been  forced 
by  one  of  a  higher  caste,  who  is  the  owner  of  the  bed,  to 
lie  there  for  hours  to  feast  and  satisfy  the  hunger  of  the 
animal  life,  so  that  by  and  by  the  owner  can  retire  and 


204  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

remain  at  ease.      How  gracious  and  humane  is  such 
conduct !     Still  it  is  religious  in  this  land. 

As  we  go  to  one  of  the  Ghat  cremation-places  we 
meet  with  a  lot   of  hangers-on,  who  advance   toward 
every  new-comer  with  pieces  of  bone,  hoping  to  obtain 
a  pice  or   more   for   the   same.     This  place  has  been 
supplied  by  the  Government,  with  two  others,  to  meet 
the    demands    of  the   city.     Formerly   the   dead   were 
thrown  into  the  river ;   but  as  this  practice  was  forbidden 
by  the  Government,   the   corpses   were   taken   to   the 
banks  of  the  river  and  burned,  the  ashes  being  thrown 
into  the  sacred  stream.     But  this  proved  to  be  a  great 
nuisance ;   and  so  three  buildings  have  been  erected  at 
the  expense  of  the   Government,  requiring  cremations 
within  the  city  to  take  place  in  these.     To  our  surprise, 
as  we  pass  behind  the  building,  we  find  two  piles  of 
wood  burning  in  the  open  air  and  a  human  body  being 
consumed  on  each.     Burning  in  this  way  is  barbarous 
in  the  extreme.     We  had  expected  to   see   kilns  and 
grates  for  cremating ;  but  instead,  the  bodies  are  handled 
by  these  roughs,  and  poked  about  as  though  they  had 
served  no  high  purpose.     While  observing  these  sights, 
a  father  brings  in  his  arms  the  remains  of  his  infant  to 
be  consumed.     He  seems  very  tender  of  the  little  body, 
and  we  are  unable  to  understand  how  he  can  consign 
the  same  to  these  apparently  indifferent  coolies ;   but  he 
does  so,  turning  away  in  tears. 

Under  a  porch  close  by  is  a  young  woman,  said  to  be 
in  a  dying  state  by  her  priest,  who  has  been  hurried 
hither,  so  that  as  the  breath  should  leave  the  body  it 
might  be  all  ready  for  burning. 


INDIA.  205 

Such  are  some  of  the  scenes  in  this  capital  city,  that 
show  the  condition  of  society.  The  bonds  of  caste  are 
as  of  iron,  firmly  riveted  upon  the  people. 

Possibly  the  English  Government,  from  the  fact  of 
its  class  idea,  is  not  doing  the  work  which  ought  to  be 
done  in  regard  to  this  great  incubus. 

In  the  line  of  public  improvements  great  progress  has 
been  made,  so  that  we  can  but  wonder,  as  we  look  at 
the  Post-Office  building  (which  covers  the  "Black 
Hole "  of  Calcutta,  where  one  hundred  and  fifty-six 
persons  were  nearly  suffocated  in  1756),  the  Gover- 
nor's residence,  the  market,  the  museum,  the  telegraph 
building,  the  city  building,  the  court-house,  and  the 
large  merchandise  blocks,  that  there  should  be  such 
grand  structures  in  the  midst  of  such  a  population.  Of 
the  one  million  people  less  than  twenty  thousand  are 
Europeans,  illustrating  the  fact  that  it  is  brains,  not 
hands,  which  rule  the  world.  There  is  evidently  here 
a  king  behind  the  throne,  or  business  affairs  would  not 
move  on  as  they  do  without  any  apparent  friction. 

The  complaint  is  general  that  the  times  are  dull  and 
hard.  The  remark  is  often  dropped,  "  You  Americans 
played  the  mischief  with  us  after  your  war  in  producing 
so  much  cotton.  We  cannot  grow  it  as  cheap  as  you, 
and  so  we  are  made  to  suffer  at  your  hand."  It  is 
now  very  dry  here,  for  no  rain  falls  from  the  first  of 
November  to  June.  The  seasons  are  three,  —  the  cool, 
the  rainy,  and  the  hot,  —  but  Americans  would  be  likely 
to  say  there  is  but  one,  and  that  one  hot ;  for  now  it  is 
the  cool  season,  and  yet,  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  it 
is  like  our  hottest  weather  in  August. 


2O6  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

The  English  meet  with  great  drawbacks  on  account 
of  the  castes  and  the  languages ;  for  the  Hindi,  Hin- 
dustani, Bengali,  Tamil,  Canarisi,  and  Marathi  are  all 
spoken,  besides  the  English,  German,  French,  and  Span- 
ish. This  motley  confusion  of  tongues  works  against 
the  progress  of  education.  While  the  English  is  gaining 
ground  slowly,  it  must  be  a  long  while  before  it  can  be 
the  language  of  the  land.  It  is  said  that  not  more  than 
one  out  of  fifty  among  the  natives  can  read  and  write. 
So  mental  darkness  is  still  lingering  here.  It  is  true 
there  are  what  are  called  government  schools,  which 
signify  that  they  are  in  part  only  supported  by  the  Gov- 
ernment. There  is  no  such  thing  as  compulsory  educa- 
tion here.  Really  the  Government  does  not  believe  in 
it.  It  spurns  the  idea  that  educated  labor  is  the  cheap- 
est in  the  end. 

Labor  is  cheap ;  the  carpenter,  tinsmith,  and  brick- 
layer command  about  twenty-five  cents  a  day. 

Because  of  the  cheapness  of  labor,  manufactures  are 
being  rapidly  introduced  into  the  country.  In  the  sub- 
urbs of  this  city  there  are  several  jute  or  paper  mills 
and  cotton  factories.  In  the  country  there  must  be 
toward  a  hundred  of  the  latter. 

The  Government,  owning  the  soil,  raises  most  of  the 
revenue  from  the  land.  For  a  few  years  past  the  expen- 
ditures have  exceeded  the  income.  This  makes  many 
of  the  people  restive  and  dejected.  Even  some  of  the 
natives  declare  that  they  are  now  taxed  beyond  endur- 
ance, and  that,  if  there  is  not  a  change  for  the  better, 
another  rebellion,  or  mutiny,  will  be  the  result.  The 
present  Viceroy  is  endeavoring  to  increase  the  revenue 


INDIA.  2O7 

by  increasing  the  sale  of  liquors.  This  is  producing 
drunkenness  to  an  alarming  extent,  rendering  the  na- 
tives poorer,  and  forcing  a  great  drawback  upon  those 
engaged  in  manufacturing,  for  labor  is  not  so  reliable 
as  it  was  before  the  introduction  of.  alcohol  to  the 
country. 

Two  daily  and  several  weekly  papers  are  published  in 
this  city.  However,  outside  of  the  white  population,  it 
is  rare  indeed  that  you  will  see  one  reading  a  book  or 
paper. 

The  different  club  organizations  are  strong,  but 
allow  no  natives  to  join  them.  It  is  surprising  how 
far  apart  the  different  castes  really  live,  though  they 
dwell  close  together.  Could  this  be  broken  down, 
India  would  have  a  bright  future  before  her.  But  as 
it  is,  it  is  difficult  to  guess  what  twenty  or  thirty  years 
may  develop. 

It  is  a  fact  that  the  population  is  rapidly  increasing, 
but  the  natives  are  becoming  poorer.  This  order  of 
things  cannot  long  continue  without  disastrous  results. 

If  the  soil  is  rich,  the  climate  is  too  hot  or  too  dry  to 
allow  the  highest  civilization  to  reign  here.  This  me- 
tropolis would  not  compare  favorably  with  Boston  or 
Chicago  as  to  thrift  and  enterprise.  Talk  with  the 
business  men  and  they  will  not  express  themselves  as 
though  they  are  here  to  stay  from  choice,  but  hope 
at  length  to  return  to  their  mother-land. 

The  botanical  garden,  the  museum,  the  colleges,  and 
benevolent  institutions  speak  well  for  the  city.  The 
Protestant  Church  edifices,  according  to  their  number, 
are  on  a  par  with  those  of  any  Christian  country.  But 


2O8  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

horse-races,  not  churches,  draw  here.  Though  the 
Government  does  what  it  can  to  have  Sunday  properly 
regarded,  yet  it  is  a  business  day  and  a  holiday  too. 

However,  since  it  is  a  fact  that  the  strongest  forces 
work  in  silence,  and  that  ruling  minds  are  those  of  whom 
the  noisy  world  hears  least,  we  can  hope  that  a  bright 
future  awaits  this  land  and  this  metropolis.  Christian 
education  alone  can  render  this  city  of  the  plains  most 
attractive  and  beautiful. 

The  polar  star  is  dipping  far  down  to  the  horizon  as 
the  train  leaves  Calcutta  for  Benares.  The  clock  strikes 
the  hour  of  nine  before  the  whistle  blows  the  signal  for 
departure.  It  is  full  moon,  and  the  night  is  almost  as 
the  brightest  day.  A  soft  vestment  appears  to  be  thrown 
over  the  face  of  Nature.  It  is  really  beautiful,  as  the 
cars  wind  along  the  Hoogly  River.  The  monsoon  is 
blowing  strong  from  the  northeast,  tempering  the  heat 
of  the  day  into  a  balmy  tonic.  Somehow  Somnus  early 
lulls  and  binds  many  of  the  passengers  fast  in  sleep. 
In  spite  of  the  rattling  and  jerking  of  the  train,  refresh- 
ing rest  is  enjoyed,  and  as  the  morning  comes  roses  and 
violets  are  strewn  thick  in  the  path  of  the  sun.  As  the 
train  halts  near  a  grove  of  palms  and  banyans,  the  birds 
are  vying  with  one  another  in  sweetest  orisons.  A  happy 
change  has  come ;  the  dead  level  about  the  metropolis 
of  India  has  given  place  to  hills  and  mountains,  the 
flanks  of  the  vast  Himalayas.  Some  of  these  heights 
are  garnished  with  stately  trees,  and  their  bases  enam- 
elled with  greenest  meadows.  Plains  are  waving  with 
wheat  and  rice.  Here  and  there  shepherds  are  leading 
out  their  flocks  of  goats  and  herds  of  cattle,  as  the  sun 


INDIA.  209 

rises  over  the  hills.  A  hamlet  is  close  at  hand,  fronted 
with  a  few  respectable  buildings  and  backed  with  a 
cluster  of  bamboo  and  mud  huts.  The  dark  skins  and 
bared  limbs  of  the  thronging  men  and  women  add  pic- 
turesqueness  to  the  panorama.  Surely  this  morning 
proffers  splendid  experience. 

As  the  train  rushes  on,  it  is  not  long  before  the  Gan- 
ges is  reached,  —  the  river  so  sacred  to  the  Hindu,  who 
finds  it  no  task  to  travel  a  thousand  miles  to  bathe  in 
its  waters,  or  to  die  on  its  banks  that  his  mortality  may 
be  borne  on  its  current  into  eternity.  It  must  measure 
in  width  as  much  as  fifteen  hundred  yards.  It  is  a 
majestic  river,  running  fifteen  hundred  miles  from  the 
Himalayas  to  the  Bay  of  Bengal.  It  has  its  origin  near 
sacred  shrines,  and  so  is  called  "  Sacred  Ganga."  Now 
for  a  long  distance  the  track  is  across  wide-stretching 
plains,  and  for  the  most  part  they  are  cultivated,  grow- 
ing palms,  wheat,  rice,  cotton,  tobacco,  and  mangoes. 
Occasionally  acres  upon  acres  are  red  with  poppy 
blossoms.  Now  and  then  jungles  hold  the  supremacy. 
Some  of  these  districts  of  wildness  and  savage  luxuriance 
are  terrible,  covered  with  poisonous  trees  and  brush, 
woven  and  matted  into  darkest  shades,  where  serpents 
crawl,  tigers  sleep,  and  deathly  diseases  reign. 

Then,  again,  tracts  of  inviting  lands  are  seen,  where  the 
plough  never  has  turned  a  furrow,  waiting  to  be  stirred  by 
human  hands  that  they  may  give  forth  abundantly  of 
their  hidden  treasures.  Frequently  there  are  valleys 
hollowed  out  by  inlets  to  the  great  river,  whose  banks 
are  painted  with  the  liveliest  green,  eddies  fringed  with 
white  and  blue  lotuses,  and  waters  rippled  with  swim- 


2IO  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

ming  birds.  Just  penetrate  these  wild  retreats  and  they 
will  be  found  crowded  with  life.  Peacocks  will  rise 
from  the  tall  grass,  giving  a  splendid  exhibition  of  shim- 
mering green,  purple,  and  gold;  the  sand-grouse  will 
sound  its  signal  and  whir  far  away ;  the  ibis  and  stork 
will  be  wading  in  the  shallow  waters ;  thrushes  will  twit- 
ter in  the  thickets;  gazelles  will  skip  across  the  open 
spaces;  the  ground  squirrel  will  chatter  and  dodge 
into  its  hole,  and  jackals  will  yelp  in  the  dusky  air. 

While  we  are  prospecting,  meditating,  and  marvelling, 
the  day  is  fading,  the  train  halts,  and  the  cry  is  heard, 
"Benares!"  This  is  the  long  looked  for  Mecca,  the 
classic  city  and  ancient  seat  of  Brahmanism.  So  here 
we  are  on  the  site  of  the  old  city  of  Kasi,  founded 
1600  B.  C.  and  situated  along  the  banks  of  the  Ganges. 
Here  the  shores  of  the  river  for  three  miles  are  lined 
with  stairs,  shrines,  and  temples,  established  by  wealthy 
rajahs,  bankers,  and  merchants,  where  throngs  of  wor- 
shippers are  daily  bathing. 

It  is  early  morning,  and  now  we  secure  a  boat,  a 
guide,  and  oarsmen,  that  passage  may  be  made  up  and 
down  the  river  for  some  three  miles,  that  we  may  gaze 
at  temples,  shrines,  and  strange  religious  freaks  and 
performances.  The  river  here  is  perhaps  three  hun- 
dred yards  wide.  Verily,  this  is  the  stream  of  which 
Brahman  poets  have  sung,  as  Virgil  sang  of  the  Tiber, 
extolling  its  waters.  As  the  rising  sun  gilds  spire, 
dome,  and  river  with  gold,  the  picture  is  resplendent ! 
Multitudes  are  already  in  the  tide  waist  deep,  or  rush- 
ing down  the  steps,  or  thronging  along  the  shore.  It  is 
a  strange  religious  sight.  The  sexes  are  about  equally 


INDIA.  211 

divided.  They  have  come  from  far  and  near,  decked 
in  every  conceivable  variety  of  costume.  Each  caste 
has  its  own  shrine  and  post  for  bathing.  How  they 
keep  flocking  down  the  embankment !  Every  one  has 
his  offering  in  hand  to  be  cast  into  the  Ganges;  the 
sick,  the  lame,  and  the  aged  are  being  brought  to  the 
river's  edge,  that  they  may  touch  or  be  laid  in  its 
waters.  All  are  anxious  to  get  into  the  river;  all  are 
sure  to  immerse  themselves.  As  they  rise  from  the 
water,  their  faces  are  turned  to  the  sun,  their  lips  move, 
and  they  toss  handfuls  of  the  sacred  water  to  it.  Large 
umbrellas  are  erected  in  the  mud  where  the  water  is 
shallow,  inscribed  with  "  Ram,  Ram,"  under  which  are 
groups  of  devotees,  repeating,  no  doubt,  hymns  and 
prayers  from  the  Rig- Veda.  The  sick  folk  seem  to  be 
resting  on  the  shore  of  the  "  Ganga "  as  though  lying 
on  the  bosom  of  the  tenderest  mother.  On  one  ghat 
is  a  pile  of  the  dead  who  have  been  brought  hither  to 
be  burned  near  the  rippling  tide,  on  a  funeral  pyre  fired 
by  the  droppings  of  the  cow.  The  mourners  appear 
happy  now,  since  their  departed  can  cross  the  Ganga  to 
the  Gate  of  Swarga,  the  home  of  the  blessed.  As  the 
flames  char  and  devour  the  motionless  flesh,  there  is  no 
shrinking  or  shrieking  of  the  kin.  It  is  astonishing  how 
these  serious,  contemplative  Hindus  bow  to  the  trying 
providences  of  life ! 

As  the  guide  points  out  the  different  sections  and 
castes,  and  a  closer  inspection  is  made,  almost  every 
spot  is  marked  by  some  reputed  miracle.  At  the  Rao 
Sahib  Ghat  is  pointed  out  the  effigy  of  Brahma,  which 
is  washed  away  annually  and  at  once  is  restored.  At 


212  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

the  Reclar  Ghat  is  the  miraculous  "Well  of  Gauri," 
which  is  believed  to  cure  all  diseases.  Here,  too,  is 
pointed  out  the  strange  "  Mansarovar  Stone,"  that  en- 
larges to  the  size  of  a  millet  seed  daily.  At  the  Bhrai- 
rava  Ghat  peacock  fans  can  be  secured  which  are 
warranted  to  sweep  away  evil  spirits.  Then  comes  the 
silver-faced  goddess  who  protects  against  the  small-pox, 
and  this  leads  to  the  "Well  of  Knowledge,"  which  is 
crowded  full  of  votive  offerings.  A  little  higher  up  is 
the  chapel  where  wives  earnestly  pray  for  promising 
boys ;  after  this  comes  the  shrine  of  Annapurna,  the 
goddess  of  plenty,  who  never  allows  famine  to  visit 
Benares.  So  it  is  a  perfect  wilderness  of  sacred  places, 
objects,  and  services.  To  have  a  clear  comprehension 
of  them  one  must  go  among  them.  The  whole  is  a 
conglomeration  of  Hindu,  Moslem,  Buddhist,  and  Jain 
temples,  palaces,  halls,  and  arches ;  some  are  ugly,  and 
others  are  beautiful ;  a  few  are  clean,  but  most  of  them 
are  filthy. 

As  the  performances  are  watched,  the  questions  arise, 
Is  this  display  the  offshoot  of  Brahma,  who  was  believed 
to  have  neither  temples  nor  altars,  and  is  far  removed 
from  the  worship  of  men,  remaining  in  calmest  repose? 
Do  the  people  still  hold,  as  in  Vedic  times,  that  Brahma 
created  men  to  be  divided  into  castes,  —  that  priests 
came  from  his  mouth,  soldiers  from  his  arm,  traders  and 
peasants  from  his  thigh,  and  the  conquered  races  from 
his  foot?  Do  they  address  themselves  to  the  same 
gods,  —  fire,  storm,  earth,  dawn,  sun,  moon,  and  sky? 
Do  they  still  believe  that  the  priests  alone  know  what 
food  to  eat,  what  air  to  breathe,  what  clothes  to  wear, 


INDIA.  213 

and  what  is  just  the  size  of  the  ladle  out  of  which  to 
drink?  Do  they  regard  Vishnu  as  the  preserver,  and 
Siva  as  the  destroyer  of  life  ? 

We  now  ascend  long  flights  of  stairs,  through  dirty, 
narrow,  thronged  avenues,  into  temples  and  palaces, 
listening  to  myths  and  traditions  connected  with  this 
and  that  place,  till  at  length  the  Cow  Temple  is 
reached,  where  there  is  the  greatest  uproar ;  and  as  a 
peep  is  taken  within,  what  a  sight!  Behold  half  a 
dozen  cows,  a  hundred  women  and  men,  the  floor  cov- 
ered with  offal,  hands  and  faces  daubed  with  the  same. 
The  women  are  the  most  enthusiastic  devotees.  One 
can  have  no  disposition  to  tarry  long  here.  From  this 
stall  we  proceed  to  the  Monkey  Temple,  where  are  found 
half  a  hundred  of  these  cunning,  capering  creatures, 
acting  no  more  religiously  than  other  monkeys,  though 
occupying  this  temple  consecrated  to  their  supposed 
divinity.  An  entrance  fee  is  demanded  at  the  door, 
which  is  at  once  exchanged  for  some  sweetmeats  to  be 
given  to  these  exalted  creatures ;  accordingly,  on  enter- 
ing, the  monkeys  are  found  waiting  and  expecting  a 
feast ;  as  the  bag  of  condiments  is  emptied,  what  bound- 
ing, clutching,  fighting,  and  squealing  for  the  greater 
share  !  The  fray  having  subsided  somewhat,  two  women 
bow  before  a  shrine  as  in  prayer.  This  service  is  in 
secret;  but  whether  it  is  to  Brahma,  the  monkey,  or 
its  ancestors,  will  remain  a  mystery. 

In  this  city  there  are  more  than  five  thousand  tem- 
ples and  pagodas  built  by  native  princes,  besides  two 
hundred  and  seventy  mosques  erected  by  the  emperors 
of  Delhi  in  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries. 


214  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

On  an  average,  one  hundred  human  bodies  are  burned 
here  daily,  and  their  ashes  thrown  into  the  Ganges. 
Many  of  these  remains  are  brought  from  afar. 

Benares  is  rich  because  aged  and  wealthy  Brahmans 
have  been  wont  to  come  hither  with  their  gold  and  sil- 
ver to  spend  their  last  days.  The  best  Brahman  schol- 
ars dwell  in  this  city.  It  is  their  Oxford  or  Heidelberg. 
Here  Kapila  expounded  Sakya-Muni's  philosophy,  Gau- 
tama the  Pali  system,  and  Panini  wrote  his  Sanscrit 
grammar.  History  has  been  made  here,  and  so  it  will 
continue  to  be  sought  and  revered. 

As  the  narrow  streets  are  traversed  and  the  people 
carefully  observed,  it  soon  becomes  apparent  that  the 
modern  Brahmans  fall  far  short  of  those  who  for- 
merly dwelt  in  this  city.  The  idea  that  the  departed 
are  to  live  passing  through  the  monkey,  the  cobra,  and 
the  cow,  to  be  ultimately  absorbed  into  Brahma,  is  not 
calculated  to  speed  souls  on  to  the  highest  civilization 
and  spiritual  life. 

The  order  of  development  seems  to  be  the  lower  or- 
ders first,  and  the  higher  last.  Mosses  were  fashioned 
before  roses,  Brahmanism  before  Christianity.  Out  of 
the  ruins  of  the  old  springs  the  new. 

A  Sanscrit  College  is  in  active  operation  here, 
founded  in  1792;  a  Government  Normal  School,  estab- 
lished in  1856,  is  doing  well;  a  Church  Missionary  Col- 
lege, started  in  1814,  is  thriving;  and  a  Baptist  Mission 
has  just  dedicated  a  new  chapel.  These  are  the  silver 
linings  to  the  dark  clouds ;  they  are  the  bow  of  promise 
arching  the  dark  river. 

A  day's  ride  farther  and  higher  into  the  country  lands 


INDIA.  215 

us  at  Lucknow,  —  the  Concord  or  Lexington  of  India. 
It  stands  on  a  plain  reaching  far  and  wide,  overtopped 
with  domes,  minarets,  and  towers.  It  shows  little  signs 
of  antiquity.  It  was  founded  at  the,  time  our  indepen- 
dence was  declared.  The  soil  is  rich,  and  the  country 
around  is  most  productive.  The  stranger  on  entering 
the  city  must  be  struck  with  the  smooth  roomy  roads. 
The  dwellings  are  set  far  back  from  the  street,  with 
beds  of  flowers  in  front  and  fenced  by  thriving  hedges. 
It  is  evident  at  once  that  the  English  mind  has  con- 
ceived and  wrought  here.  How  true  it  is  that  every 
nation  has  its  signs  and  symbols ! 

One  of  the  first  objects  to  attract  attention  is  Caesar's 
Garden.  A  wonderful  gate  opens  into  it,  inscribed  with 
the  arms  and  name  of  Wajd  Ali  Shah,  who  caused  it 
and  the  pile  of  buildings  about  it  to  be  constructed. 
Indeed,  the  king  was  lavish  with  his  money  in  making 
an  outward  show.  Now  the  whole  is  in  ruins  because 
of  the  meeting  of  inimical  forces  in  1857-1858.  The 
palace  and  mosque  were  riddled  by  shot  and  shell, 
and  finally  taken  by  the  English  and  used  for  a  hos- 
pital. Here  it  was  the  brave  Havelock  breathed  his 
last,  and  his  ashes  rest  in  the  rear  of  these  splendid 
ruins. 

Another  remarkable  building  is  the  Imaumbarra, 
dedicated  to  the  founder  of  the  city  and  styled  by 
Bishop  Heber  "  a  cathedral."  It  is  a  picturesque  series 
of  courts  and  tessellated  structures  after  the  Saracenic 
order.  It  contains  a  hall  a  hundred  and  sixty  feet 
long,  which  was  once  adorned  with  a  silver  throne,  but 
now  is  used  as  a  jail.  What  work  war  is  sure  to 


2l6  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

produce !  How  it  wastes  and  mutilates  the  costly  and 
the  beautiful! 

Another  striking  building  is  the  Chutter  Munzil,  with 
its  curious  domes.  It  was  once  a  harem,  but  is  now 
used  for  a  club-house.  Its  reception-room,  with  mar- 
ble floor,  figured  arcades,  and  glittering  chandeliers,  is 
enough  to  prove  that  it  was  unique  and  elegant.  Half 
a  mile  to  the  west  from  the  Munzil  is  the  Residency,  to 
which  the  English  repaired  at  the  breaking  out  of  the 
rebellion  in  1857.  It  stands  on  the  highest  ground  in 
the  city,  and  consists  of  a  collection  of  stone  structures 
intended  for  a  fortification.  Here  for  weeks  and  weeks 
the  English  women  and  children  were  obliged  to  remain 
in  the  cellars,  while  the  men  did  the  best  they  could  to 
withstand  the  daily  attacks  made  upon  them.  Here  the 
brave  Lawrence  was  killed  by  a  shell  on  the  4th  of  July, 
and  here  Major  Banks  fell  on  the  25th  of  September. 
The  Residency  now  is  a  mass  of  ruins.  Many  a  nook 
and  corner  bears  record  of  bravest  deeds.  Could  the 
stones  only  speak,  what  stories  they  would  tell  of 
noblest  heroes  and  heroines !  Near  by  is  a  silent 
city  of  the  dead,  where  officers  and  privates  of  the 
English  forces  lie  buried.  At  present,  where  the 
earth  was  torn  up  with  shot  and  shell,  parterres  of 
flowers  are  smiling  and  trees  are  waving  branches  of 
peace. 

Not  far  from  the  Residency  is  a  museum  filled  with 
Indian  relics  and  new  inventions,  doing  honor  to  the 
city.  The  colleges,  banks,  government-schools,  and 
Protestant  churches  lend  strong  attractions  to  Luck- 
now.  As  you  pass  through  the  streets  of  the  old  city, 


INDIA.  2 1  / 

you  find  them  narrow,  with  the  shops  crowded  together. 
The  chief  business  is  confined  to  working  in  brass.  The 
many  curious  manufactures  imply  that  the  workmen  may 
possibly  be  descendants  from  Tubal  Cain.  The  caste 
idea  is  rife  here,  as  elsewhere  in  the  land.  This  ex- 
presses itself  by  the  white,  red,  or  blue  mark  on  the 
forehead.  This  people  scorn  to  believe  "  in  the  sur- 
vival of  the  fittest."  The  women  are  loaded  down  with 
rings  and  bangles  on  their  hands  and  feet.  The  English 
settlers  are  taking  the  lead  in  the  affairs  of  this  city  of 
more  than  two  hundred  thousand  inhabitants.  There 
are  no  indications  now  that  there  will  ever  be  another 
mutiny  in  the  city  of  Lucknow. 

At  mid-afternoon  the  train  is  taken  for  Cawnpore, 
some  forty  miles  in  a  westerly  direction.  The  railroads 
are  owned  by  the  Government,  and  run  by  English  offi- 
cers; so  in  style  and  management  they  are  English. 
The  speed  is  seldom  more  than  twenty-five  miles  an 
hour.  The  villages  passed  are  made  of  sunburned  brick 
and  mud.  The  people  at  the  stations  are  quiet,  and  not 
given  to  much  talk,  or  improprieties  of  any  sort.  Water 
is  carried  round  and  sold  at  every  station,  and  in  some 
instances  sweetmeats  and  refreshments. 

Towards  sunset  our  way  lies  through  a  broken  coun- 
try sparsely  covered  with  tamarinds,  peepuls,  banyans, 
and  camel-thorns.  As  the  train  glides  along,  wild 
peacocks  are  seen  flying  from  copse  to  copse,  and 
in  the  opening  gulches  water-birds  rush  out  of  sight. 
Approaching  the  Ganges  again,  oleanders  perfume 
the  breezes,  and  the  last  rays  of  the  sun  drop  gold 
and  rubies  in  showers  upon  the  water;  and  the 


2l8  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

announcement  is  heard,  "  Cawnpore  !  "  This  is  another 
city  that  suffered  terribly  in  the  late  mutiny.  Its 
population  numbers  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand, 
and  is  so  much  given  to  cotton  manufactures  as  to  be 
called  the  Lowell  or  Manchester  of  India.  It  is  a  stir- 
ring town,  but  not  a  beautiful  city.  In  the  south  part  is 
a  memorial  church  marking  the  site  where  many  Eng- 
lish soldiers  were  enticed  to  death  by  Nana  Sahib,  the 
captain  of  the  mutinous  Sepoys.  The  church  is  an 
elegant  stone  structure,  whose  walls  within  are  hung 
with  mural  tablets  inscribed  with  the  names  of  daring 
soldiers  who  stood  in  Wheeler's  entrenchment  for  days, 
defending  the  British  flag,  till  nearly  every  man  fell  a 
victim  to  Nana's  treachery.  This  church  is  a  fit  monu- 
ment to  patriotic  and  loyal  lives. 

A  mile  to  the  eastward  is  the  famous  and  fatal  Suttee 
Ghat,  on  the  banks  of  the  Ganges,  whither  Nana  in- 
duced a  host  of  English  men  and  women  to  come  and 
take  boats  for  Allahabad,  where  they  would  be  certain 
to  find  security.  But  when  they  had  all  arrived  and 
were  in  the  boats  ready  to  start  down  the  river,  a  se- 
cret force  of  Nana's  soldiers  opened  fire  upon  them 
and  all  were  killed  save  four  officers.  The  place  is  now 
desolate,  and  Nature  is  apparently  resenting  the  awful 
slaughter  committed  there. 

Near  the  centre  of  the  city  is  Memorial  Garden. 
Upon  first  entering  its  grounds  one  is  ready  to  exclaim, 
"  Charming !  Beautiful !  "  The  garden  is  divided  up 
by  walks  and  roads,  and  adorned  with  the  greatest 
variety  of  flowers,  shrubs,  and  trees.  Near  the  centre  on 
a  broad  mound  stands  a  marble  monument,  consisting 


INDIA.  219 

of  a  circular  wall  thirty  feet  in  diameter  and  twenty  feet 
high,  mounted  with  serrated  and  finely  cut  trimmings. 
As  the  door  is  opened,  lo  !  within  is  a  statue  of  a  woman 
whose  attitude  and  countenance  are  most  expressive  of 
submission  and  heartfelt  regret.  The  artist  who  con- 
ceived that  must  have  been  familiar  with  grief  and  the 
inner  working  of  the  human  soul;  spirit  must  have 
been  far  more  to  him  than  matter.  It  is  a  touching 
elegy  in  stone.  This  monument  marks  the  well  into 
which  Nana  caused  more  than  a  hundred  women  and 
children  to  be  thrown,  as  he  heard  that  a  recruit  of 
English  soldiers  was  approaching,  thinking  by  such 
savage  cruelty  to  intimidate  the  incoming  braves.  Ah, 
he  did  not  know  them  then  as  he  did  afterwards !  The 
horrors  of  that  mutiny  can  never  be  fully  described. 
The  English  own  these  grounds  and  keep  them  in  order, 
as  a  memorial  of  heroic  suffering  and  valiant  deeds. 

A  part  of  a  night's  ride  under  the  blazing  stars  lands 
us  at  the  fair  dawn  in  the  city  of  Agra,  the  favorite 
city  of  Islam,  or  the  Mecca  of  India.  At  once  the  Taj 
is  sought,  which  is  two  miles  from  the  station.  It  is  a 
feast  to  ride  when  the  morning  air  is  fresh  and  brac- 
ing. The  distance  is  overcome  almost  too  soon,  and 
we  are  in  front  of  the  Taj  Mahal,  the  unique  sight  of 
the  city,  —  a  mausoleum  built  by  Shah  Jehan  in  honor 
of  his  lovely  queen,  Moomtaza  Zumanee,  whom  he  con- 
sidered the  light  of  the  world.  Seen  from  a  distance  it 
is  a  graceful  structure  of  polished  marble,  as  fresh  as 
though  built  but  yesterday,  and  yet  it  is  two  hundred' 
and  fifty  years  old.  It  is  said  twenty  thousand  Italian 
artists  worked  upon  it  twenty  years  to  make  it  complete. 


22O  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

The  grounds  and  tomb  add  charms  to  each  other,  and 
the  words  over  the  doorway  are  in  the  highest  degree 
appropriate,  — "  The  pure  of  heart  shall  enter  the 
Gardens  of  God." 

Place  this  mausoleum  on  the  desert  and  it  would 
render  the  surroundings  beautiful.  Walk  about  it  and 
inspect  its  parts  and  it  seems  immense ;  some  of  its 
stones  are  ten,  twenty,  and  thirty  feet  in  length.  As  the 
portal  opens  you  read  on  the  threshold,  "  To  undying 
love;  "  and  as  you  step  within,  what  tracery,  what 
columns  of  alabaster,  what  arcades,  what  jewellery  meet 
the  eye !  The  screens,  panels,  and  tracery  are  inlaid 
with  the  most  precious  stones,  forming  flowers,  leaves, 
branches,  and  scrolls  inscribed  with  passages  from  the 
Koran.  There  is  nothing  dark  or  doleful  about  it; 
verily,  it  savors  more  of  life  than  of  death.  Let  your 
speech  be  soft  and  melodious  and  it  is  caught  up  and 
echoed  back  to  you  in  sweeter  harmony  than  it  went 
forth,  as  though  Israfil,  who  is  the  sweetest  intoner 
of  Allah's  choir,  had  responded,  "  Come  up  higher." 
Under  the  exquisitely  wrought  screen  is  the  marble 
casket  of  the  beloved  "  Queen  of  the  Palace."  Her 
ashes  occupy  the  centre.  Close  by  is  the  marble 
casket  of  Shah  Jehan,  marked  by  more  prominent 
stones,  because  he  was  emperor  and  lover.  He  built 
this  tomb,  not  for  himself,  but  for  his  devoted  and 
sainted  wife,  whom  he  could  not  retain  on  earth,  but 
whom  he  could  immortalize  in  the  midst  of  things  most 
beautiful ;  and  because  of  his  devotion  to  the  noble 
woman,  his  courtiers  tenderly  placed  his  remains  close 
to  those  of  his  beloved.  Thus  rest  the  ashes  of  Nur  and 


THE    TAJ     MAHAL,     AGRA. 


INDIA.  221 

Shah  Jehan  in  the  whitest  and  most  translucent  tomb 
of  all  the  earth.  Yes,  here  it  stands  on  a  terrace  of 
marble  four  hundred  feet  square  and  sixty  feet  high, 
with  a  temple  a  hundred  and  ninety  feet  square,  having 
a  minaret  at  each  corner  a  hundred  feet  in  altitude,  and 
a  dome  over  the  dead  two  hundred  and  sixty  feet  high 
and  seventy  feet  in  diameter,  made  of  the  rarest  mar- 
ble and  the  most  precious  stones,  at  a  cost  of  fifteen 
millions  of  dollars.  It  is  kept  so  still,  so  clean,  so 
white,  being  fringed  with  the  fairest  of  gardens,  that 
as  we  stand  admiring  it  in  silence,  we  half  feel  it  is 
not  of  earth,  but  celestial. 

There  are  other  splendid  tombs  in  Agra.  That  of 
Akbar  would  attract  and  be  greatly  admired  were  it  far 
away  from  the  Taj  Mahal.  The  same  is  true  of  the 
mausoleum  of  Itmad-ood-Dowlah.  The  Moslem  resting- 
places  of  the  distinguished  dead  are  what  render  Agra 
fascinating  not  only  to  the  Mohammedan,  but  to  all 
lovers  of  cultured  art. 

This  city  stands  on  the  Jumna  River,  a  large  branch  of 
the  Ganges ;  and  as  this  stream  is  followed  northward,  it 
is  found  to  be  bordered  by  some  of  the  richest  lands, 
abounding  in  sugar-plantations,  thrifty  mango-groves, 
extensive  wheat-fields,  orchards  of  palms  and  oranges, 
and  countless  acres  of  poppies.  In  the  lowlands  are 
to  be  seen  any  number  of  ibises,  swans,  pelicans,  and 
rice-birds.  As  one  journeys  in  this  country  he  can 
realize  its  grandeur  and  vastness  as  he  surveys  it  from 
north  to  south,  from  east  to  west.  It  is  larger  than  all 
the  Pacific  States  and  Territories,  and  contains  four  times 
as  many  people  as  our  whole  Republic.  Many  indica- 


222  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

tions  on  every  hand  give  assurance  it  is  an  ancient  land. 
Its  history  reaches  back  fourteen  hundred  years  before 
the  Christian  era,  asserting  that  it  was  settled  by  Aryans 
speaking  the  Sanscrit  language.  Its  surface  varies  from 
the  lowest  to  the  highest  altitude.  It  is  largely  divided 
into  table-lands  from  one  to  four  thousand  feet  above 
the  sea.  In  the  north  granite  is  exposed ;  in  the  middle, 
trap,  slate,  and  sandstone.  Where  the  soil  is  good,  it  is 
very  good ;  and  where  it  is  poor,  it  is  very  poor.  Dense 
forests  and  jungles  are  common.  Its  highest  and  lowest 
portions  are  destitute  of  animal  and  vegetable  life.  The 
lines  mapping  out  the  richest  harvest  and  the  charms  of 
spring  and  summer  are  lower  than  the  Himalayas  and 
higher  than  the  desert  of  the  Indus  River.  Midway  be- 
tween these  extremes  are  the  flowery  plains  and  the 
vine-clad  hills  and  mountains.  Here  is  where  the  bees 
cup  the  honey  and  the  sleek  herds  feed,  and  these  are 
places  the  Muses  and  Graces  haunt.  Parnassus  is  not 
one  half  as  high  as  Olympus ;  nevertheless,  the  fig-tree 
dots  its  sides  and  the  heather  crowns  its  top,  while  ever- 
lasting cold  broods  over  the  summit  where  it  was  be- 
lieved the  great  Jupiter  had  his  abode.  So  human  life 
is  not  found  in  the  marshes  by  the  sea  nor  on  the 
heights  of  Everest,  but  on  the  table-lands  midway 
between  ocean  and  sky. 

But  now  we  are  eight  hundred  miles  from  Calcutta 
and  seven  hundred  miles  from  Bombay,  in  the  city  of 
Delhi,  where  once  stood  the  largest  city  of  Hindostan, 
the  capital  of  the  great  Mogul  Empire.  In  its  glory  it 
numbered  two  millions  of  human  souls,  and  had  a  cir- 
cuit of  twenty  miles,  while  the  modern  city  has  a  popu- 


INDIA.  223 

lation  of  only  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand ;  and  its 
walls  of  red  sandstone  are  seven  miles  in  extent,  forty 
feet  high,  and  four  feet  in  thickness.  The  new  city 
is  quaint.  The  main  streets  are  stirring  with  business 
at  high  noon.  The  windows  of  the  shops  are  filled 
with  silks,  jewelry,  and  paintings  on  ivory.  The  cos- 
tumes are  of  the  brightest  colors  of  cotton  and  silk. 
The  people  are  tall  and  slim ;  divided  into  many  classes, 
though  moving  in  the  same  highway,  still  they  keep 
as  separate  as  possible.  Their  dress,  movements,  and 
work  show  them  to  be  fond  of  art.  Tanga  dawks, 
drawn  by  little  oxen,  are  numerous;  these  are  the 
vehicles  in  which  the  commonalty  ride.  Throngs  of  poor 
women  with  bags  of  dried  brash  of  the  cow  are  hurry- 
ing about  to  supply  the  demands  of  the  Brahmans, 
who  will  do  their  cooking  only  with  this  sacred  fuel. 
There  is  a  strange  commingling  of  white  and  tawny 
faces  in  the  open  square,  but  everything  moves  on  in 
perfect  order.  Strong  English  forces  are  encamped 
within  and  without  the  city. 

But  the  object  of  special  attraction  is  the  Palace  of 
the  Great  Mogul,  the  most  unique  structure  in  India. 
It  was  built  by  Shah  Jehan  in  the  seventeenth  century, 
on  the  banks  of  the  Jumna  River,  being,  grounds  and 
all,  one  and  a  half  miles  in  circumference.  In  its  Audi- 
ence Hall  formerly  stood  the  throne,  which  cost  thirty 
millions  of  dollars.  It  was  composed  of  two  peacocks 
of  gold  with  spread  tails  filled  with  sapphires,  emeralds, 
rubies,  and  diamonds,  having  a  parrot  cut  out  of  a  solid 
emerald  suspended  over  it;  and  overtopping  the  whole 
was  a  canopy  of  beaten  gold  supported  by  twelve 


224  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

columns  of  solid  gold.  Nothing  in  old  Rome  or  Athens 
could  have  equalled  this  palace.  Over  one  of  the  arch- 
ways are  written  these  verses  in  Persian,  — 

"  If  on  the  earth  there  be  a  bower  of  bliss, 
That  place  is  this,  is  this,  is  this,  is  this." 

Near  the  hall  is  the  Pearl  Mosque,  an  exquisite  shrine 
in  which  the  great  Moguls  were  wont  to  worship  Allah. 
There  the  Baths  of  Akab  are  a  curiosity  as  well  as  a 
wonder.  But  no  longer  do  Moguls  bask  in  the  splen- 
dors of  this  marble  paradise.  Its  gold  and  precious 
stones  have  disappeared,  and  the  last  occupant  died  a 
prisoner  at  Rangoon ;  and  at  present  Victoria's  ensign  is 
floating  over  the  cupolas  of  the  principal  gateway. 

The  most  prominent  building  in  Delhi  to-day  is  the 
magnificent  mosque,  Jumna  Musjid,  the  largest  mosque 
among  all  the  nations  of  Islam.  This  was  the  delight  of 
Shah  Jehan,  and  was  believed  to  contain  the  Prophet's 
slipper  and  a  hair  of  his  mustache.  Its  towers,  domes, 
minarets,  and  tracery  are  of  a  high  order. 

As  you  pass  through  the  gates  of  the  city,  you  are 
impressed  with  a  feeling  of  grandeur.  Go  to  the  east 
and  south  and  you  are  in  a  district  thickly  sown  with 
wasting  mosques,  tombs,  and  arches.  As  the  eye 
looks  through  the  branches  of  the  trees,  it  discovers 
wildernesses  of  broken  domes  and  columns,  telling  of 
departed  splendor.  Monkeys  are  dodging  about  in  the 
trees  or  chasing  one  another  on  the  ground.  Parrots 
are  flying  hither  and  yon,  talking  loudly,  as  though  re- 
vealing the  tales  of  a  wondrous  past.  Four  miles  out 
and  your  attention  is  called  to  some  fellows  on  the  roof- 


INDIA.  225 

top  ready,  for  a  few  assoras,  to  leap  forty  feet  into  a 
pool  of  filthy  water.  You  may  purchase  the  plunge 
once,  but  you  would  turn  away  from  the  second  with 
pity,  regretting  that  poor  mortals  are  forced  to  secure 
a  living  in  such  a  manner.  Turn  aside  a  little,  and 
you  can  enter  the  tomb  of  Jehanara,  made  of  the  whitest 
marble.  The  screen  around  the  sarcophagus  is  as  beau- 
tiful as  one  could  wish.  From  this  silent  place  you 
must  not  fail  of  passing  to  the  tomb  of  the  poet 
Khosrau,  greatly  admired  for  his  "  Majnun  and  Leila." 
Worshipper  after  worshipper  comes  in  and  lays  an  offer- 
ing of  flowers  on  his  alabaster  casket.  How  true  it  is 
that  the  real  poet  lives,  though  his  form  has  mouldered 
to  dust !  Still  farther  on,  there  is  the  monument  of 
Safdar  Jung,  a  grand  memorial  to  human  greatness. 

Now  turning  to  the  south  you  come  to  the  observa- 
tory of  Jey  Singh,  with  massive  gnomons  and  astrolabes 
of  masonry.  This  is  no  mean  work,  and  possibly  speaks 
of  star-gazers  before  Homer  sung  or  Moses  legislated. 
Onward  you  move  among  broken  shafts  and  crumbling 
tombs  till  you  arrive  at  the  Kutub  Minar,  a  fluted  pillar 
that  rises  aloft  two  hundred  and  forty  feet,  constructed 
of  the  whitest  marble  and  the  reddest  sandstone.  The 
second  story  of  this  marvellous  work  is  belted  with 
"  The  Ninety-nine  Beautiful  Names  of  Allah."  It  is 
said,  Sultan  Altamsh  caused  it  to  be  built,  that  his 
daughter  might  daily  ascend  to  its  top  and  enjoy  an 
outlook  over  Delhi  which  she  greatly  admired.  As  you 
observe  its  conical  shape,  soaring  rose-red  and  lily-white 
into  the  deep  blue,  you  can  but  exclaim,  "  Wonderfully 
beautiful !  "  Hard  by  is  an  iron  pillar,  twenty-two 


226  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

feet  above  the  ground  and  twenty-eight  below,  which 
is  related  to  have  been  set  up  to  pin  an  imaginary  ser- 
pent, King  of  the  Nogos,  to  the  earth.  Here  too,  is  a 
mosque  of  Kutbu  '1  Islam,  which  is  described  as  having 
been  built  out  of  twenty-seven  Hindu  and  Brahmanical 
fanes  of  old  Delhi.  This  temple  affords  a  strange  com- 
bination of  mythology  and  Moslemism,  of  polytheism 
and  monotheism.  Apparently  there  is  no  end  to  these 
ruins ;  you  may  walk  or  ride  among  them  for  days  and 
even  weeks,  and  old  things  will  keep  springing  to  sight. 
Thousands  of  stately  structures  must  have  been  scat- 
tered over  this  plain.  Five  or  six  successive  cities  have 
risen  and  fallen  on  these  grounds.  The  ruins  of  Delhi 
report  a  long  line  of  fallen  dynasties  and  wasted 
empires. 

Now  our  course  is  west  and  southward.  If  Punjaub 
and  Oude  are  the  classic  provinces  of  India,  Rajpootana 
is  the  district  of  romance  and  chivalry.  In  passing 
through  the  latter,  the  traveller  finds  things  quite  un- 
like what  he  has  experienced  in  the  former.  There  are 
wildness  and  heraldry  here  that  did  not  express  them- 
selves there.  How  singular  such  striking  differences 
should  exist,  even  in  adjoining  counties !  But  India  is 
a  land  of  oddities  and  contrasts.  There  are  as  many  as 
a  dozen  distinct  languages  spoken  in  the  country.  The 
people  differ  widely  in  looks,  size,  and  manners. 

Rajpootana  is  rich  for  the  most  part,  the  surface 
broken  and  in  sections  mountainous.  Occasionally 
antelopes  may  be  seen  wandering  in  herds,  and  cranes 
wading  in  the  shallows.  In  the  vicinity  of  nearly  every 
village  peacocks  are  spreading  their  burnished  trail. 


INDIA.      .  227 

Slinger-boys  are  posted  on  elevations  to  frighten  away 
the  parrots  from  the  ripening  grain.  The  men  are 
larger  and  the  women  handsomer  than  those  we  have 
been  wont  to  see  in  India.  Possibly  these  are  direct 
descendants  of  the  noble  Persians  and  daring  Medes. 
The  five  great  Pandu  brothers  were  Rajputs  who  wan- 
dered across  these  plains  and  over  these  marble  hills. 
It  is  said  the  first  ancestor  of  the  Rajput  kings  reigning 
over  these  lands  was  the  Sun  himself,  who  was  the 
father  of  Rama  Chundra,  an  incarnation  of  Vishnu.  So 
perhaps  these  dusky  folks  whom  we  have  been  inspect- 
ing are  the  "  descendants  of  the  Sun."  The  legend 
represents  the  Rajput  of  more  than  royal  blood;  and 
when  his  daughter  married  even  a  great  Mogul,  it  was 
a  humbling  cross  and  likely  to  result  in  corruption 
of  blood.  It  was  this  ancestral  feeling  that  caused  so 
many  mothers  of  this  land  to  slaughter  their  infant 
daughters  because  they  believed  husbands  of  suffi- 
ciently high  rank  could  nowhere  be  found  to  wed  them, 
and  for  them  to  live  a  single  life  would  be  a  still  greater 
curse.  Accordingly,  they  would  put  the  poisoned  juice 
from  the  milk-bush  upon  the  nurse's  breast,  that  the 
girl-infant  might  early  suck  in  the  seeds  of  sure  death. 
It  is  pleasant  to  know  that  this  practice  is  among  the 
things  of  the  past. 

As  the  train  nears  the  fairest  city  of  Rajpootana,  yes, 
of  all  India,  the  eye  in  searching  discovers  naught  mar- 
vellously striking.  As  the  traveller  leaves  the  station, 
he  is  half  disposed  to  think  there  has  been  a  mistake 
made ;  this  cannot  be  Jeypoor.  The  station  is  a  mile 
distant  from  the  town.  The  road  thitherward  is  wide 


228  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

and  smooth.  Spacious  bungalows  are  scattered  along 
the  way,  shaded  by  palms  and  peepul  trees.  Huge 
cactuses  fence  off  the  lots.  At  length  you  turn  toward 
the  high  wall  which  girdles  the  city.  Camels  and  ox- 
teams  are  various  here,  being  loaded  or  relieved  of 
heavy  burdens.  You  pass  through  the  Amber  Gate, 
and  under  the  shadows  of  a  strong  fort,  and  by  sentries 
clad  in  black,  who  are  equal  to  emergencies  judging 
from  their  size  and  mien.  Lo !  there  is  before  you,  as 
the  eye  looks  eastward,  a  fabled  picture  of  roseate  and 
alabaster  villas,  palaces,  and  majestic  structures  as  if 
just  dropped  before  you !  Why,  here  is  a  street,  two 
miles  in  length  and  a  hundred  and  eleven  feet  wide, 
bordered  thickly  with  rose-colored  fronts  of  spacious 
buildings,  consisting  of  dwellings,  palaces,  institutions 
of  art  and  culture,  shops  whose  fronts  are  in  exact  line, 
adorned  with  columns,  tessellated  works,  and  pictorial 
figures.  Then,  as  the  eye  looks  upward,  there  is  the 
grandest  breastwork  of  hills  and  mountains  topped  with 
fortifications,  which  half  encircle  the  town.  This  view 
is  charming,  magnificent,  and  sublime.  The  whole  is 
bathed  in  a  flood  of  sunlight,  rendering  it  like  the  fairy 
cities  of  which  you  have  read  and  dreamed.  A  closer 
inspection  shows  that  the  houses  are  made  of  brick 
and  stone  and  coated  over  with  rough  plaster,  which  is 
stained  with  rose  and  pink.  The  effect  in  the  distance 
is  the  same  as  though  made  of  pinkish  alabaster. 

Throngs  of  people  are  moving  through  the  streets, 
as  though  it  were  a  feast-day,  but  you  learn  it  is  thus 
every  day.  Most  persons  covet  excitement  and  are 
bound  to  be  with  the  crowd.  Having  advanced  about 


INDIA.  229 

a  third  of  a  mile,  you  come  to  a  cross  street  of  the  same 
width  as  the  main  street  and  half  as  long,  with  fine- 
looking  buildings  on  each  side.  Here  begins  on  the 
north  side  of  the  main  street  the  corner  of  the  palace, 
whose  front  extends  to  another  cross  street  of  the  same 
dimensions  as  the  one  just  mentioned.  The  palace 
covers  over  a  seventh  of  the  area  of  the  city,  whose 
walls  must  be  six  miles  in  extent.  In  one  part  of  it 
rises  a  beautiful  tower.  Some  of  the  apartments  of  the 
Rajah's  house  are  richly  adorned.  As  you  wander 
through  the  labyrinth  of  rooms,  you  can  but  ask,  Has 
not  all  this  taken  necessary  bread  and  clothing  from  the 
poor?  How  can  a  king  enjoy  such  luxury  when  he 
knows  it  must  cause  many  of  his  subjects  to  suffer?  In 
the  Rajah's  stables  you  will  see  three  hundred  rare-bred 
horses,  which  are  driven  daily  for  exercise  and  the 
owner's  gratification,  as  he  sits  under  a  veranda  to  wit- 
ness the  movements  and  speed  of  his  fine  animals. 

Across  the  street  to  the  east  is  the  Hall  of  the  Winds, 
that  towers,  tier  above  tier,  dainty  and  daring,  nine  stories, 
thickly  set  with  windows,  balconies,  arches,  and  screens. 
Its  sides  slant  upward  pyramidically.  Even  Aladdin's 
ladder  could  scarcely  have  excelled  it.  Inspecting 
the  shops  along  the  streets,  you  find  hands  busy  in  beat- 
ing out  brass  and  moulding  it  into  rings  and  bangles  by 
the  cart-load ;  you  see  lapidarians  grinding  garnets,  and 
jewellers  setting  them  in  silver  and  gold.  The  common 
women  glitter  in  brass,  and  those  of  the  higher  castes 
are  adorned  with  precious  gems.  There  is  an  indepen- 
dence here  and  throughout  Rajpootana,  such  as  cannot 
be  found  elsewhere  in  India.  In  fact,  the  queen  allows 


230  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

the  people  to  manage  their  own  affairs  by  paying  a 
certain  revenue  to  the  United  Kingdom.  It  is  natural 
for  a  people  to  desire  to  govern  themselves ;  and  when 
they  have  this  liberty,  they  are  more  enterprising  and 
ambitious. 

But  almost  every  picture  has  its  dark  side;  so,  as 
you  traverse  the  back  streets,  or  more  properly  alleys 
of  this  city,  you  find  indolence  and  greatest  poverty. 
Every  hovel  swarms  with  children.  As  you  enter  one, 
you  meet  the  husband,  his  wife,  five  daughters,  and  three 
sons ;  the  oldest  of  the  children  is  fourteen,  and  she  is 
married,  and  two  younger  sisters  also,  and  the  mother 
is  pleased  to  inform  you  that  the  next  younger,  only 
seven  years  old,  is  soon  to  be  wedded;  the  child  has 
a  large  ring  in  her  nose,  as  an  assurance  of  her  in- 
tentions. The  parents,  especially  among  the  lower 
castes,  are  delighted  to  get  their  daughters  married  off 
as  soon  as  possible.  But  the  Rajput  beauty  is  faded 
and  old  at  thirty.  In  these  by-ways  you  will  be  certain 
to  meet  with  more  or  less  half-insane  men  who  profess 
to  cure  all  diseases.  The  ignorant  people  who  are  in 
any  manner  afflicted  will  be  huddled  about  the  lunatic 
doctors  for  examination,  receiving  medicine  of  the  crud- 
est kind.  But  they  are  likely  to  take  it  all  on  strongest 
faith,  and  so  remarkable  cures  follow. 

Passing  out  of  Ruby  Gate  at  four  o'clock,  you  will 
see  a  thousand  prisoners  marching  from  the  quarries, 
where  they  have  been  laboring  since  eight  in  the  morn- 
ing, to  the  penitentiary.  They  are  strong,  healthy- 
appearing  men,  most  of  them  more  than  forty  years  old 
and  imprisoned  for  larceny.  Their  faces  do  not  indi- 


INDIA.  231 

cate  that  they  are  the  worst  of  men.  Could  we  know 
the  causes  that  placed  them  within  stone  walls,  we 
might  have  more  sympathy  for  them,  and  pity,  not 
censure  them. 

As  you  visit  the  Botanical  and  Zoological  Gardens, 
you  discover  the  grounds  to  be  spacious,  and  tastefully 
laid  out,  and  kept  in  perfect  order.  The  roses  are  all  in 
bloom.  The  tropical  plants  are  largely  represented. 
Several  fountains  are  playing.  The  trees  seem  to  be 
full  of  sweet-singing  birds.  In  the  centre  of  the  Botani- 
cal Garden  is  the  Zoological,  which  abounds  in  birds  of 
all  sizes  from  the  humming-bird  to  the  black  ostrich. 
Monkeys  are  not  wanting,  and  tigers  and  lions  are  ready 
to  eat  the  flesh  of  beast  or  man.  Upon  the  south  side 
of  these  inviting  grounds  stands  Albert  Hall,  not  yet 
completed.  It  is  a  grand  structure,  in  good  keeping 
with  the  city.  It  reminds  you  externally  of  some  of  the 
castellated  buildings  of  England  and  France.  Within 
are  rooms  and  corridors  in  which  are  treasured  the  an- 
tiquities and  representations  of  the  Indian  productions. 
It  is  being  built  by  Maharajah  in  honor  of  Prince  Albert, 
who  did  so  much  in  the  way  of  encouraging  this  people 
to  treasure  up  the  things  of  the  past,  appreciate  the 
things  of  the  present,  and  strive  for  the  noblest  things 
of  the  future. 

Besides  the  bulwarks  crowning  the  hills  already  re- 
ferred to,  there  is  upon  one  of  the  most  prominent 
points  a  Temple  of  the  Sun,  to  which  multitudes  climb, 
that  they  may  worship  in  the  purest  air  the  Greatest 
Light.  Certainly  they  toil  hard  enough  to  enjoy  their 
religion,  to  appreciate  it.  This  temple  ought  to  be  a 


232  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

beacon  to  shed  the  true  light  broadcast  over  the  city 
and  out  into  the  world.  The  Presbyterian  Scotch  Mis- 
sion is  doing  an  excellent  work  here  in  the  way  of  en- 
lightening the  people  and  teaching  them  to  think.  Its 
proselyting  consists  mainly  in  educating.  This  method 
overcomes  opposition,  and  is  quite  sure  to  win  in  the 
end. 

A  day's  experience  in  Jeypoor  will  hang  many  a  fair 
picture  on  the  walls  of  memory  to  shed  its  rosy  hues 
and  cheer  the  heart  as  the  years  roll  on.  God  has 
written  beauty  everywhere ;  and  when  men  build  a 
beautiful  town,  it  should  be  admired  and  honored. 

One  can  but  rejoice  in  passing  from  the  interior  of 
India  to  the  great  commercial  city  of  Bombay,  fast  be- 
coming in  trade  the  most  important  mart  of  the  East. 
It  is  a  favored  city  as  to  port  and  surroundings.  It 
would  seem  Nature  intended  it  to  be  admired  for  its  sit- 
uation. The  many  diversified  hills,  lifted  into  moun- 
tains on  the  east;  the  open  lands,  running  out  to  the 
north,  thickly  dotted  with  great  varieties  of  tropical 
plants  and  trees ;  the  lofty  Malabar  Hill  and  the  encir- 
cling bay  on  the  west  and  south,  render  it  alluring  and 
picturesque. 

Then,  as  you  visit  the  Esplanade  and  the  new  part 
of  the  town,  you  feel  as  though  you  were  in  portions  of 
London  or  Boston.  The  fine  structures  are  in  style 
Gothic,  Doric,  and  Saracenic.  The  Great  Western 
Hotel,  the  University,  the  General  Post-Office,  Court 
of  Justice,  the  new  depot,  the  club-houses,  the  Times 
Building,  and  others  are  on  a  magnificent  scale.  While 
making  this  survey  you  almost  imagine  you  have 


INDIA.  233 

reached  a  city  of  marble  and  of  wondrous  beauty.  But  as 
you  turn  from  the  new  to  the  old,  the  scene  is  decidedly 
changed ;  you  find  yourself  no  longer  in  Europe,  but  in 
India.  As  you  pass  along  the  Bhendi  street  of  bazaars, 
the  throngs  of  Asiatic  population  are  immense.  The 
Hindu,  Guyerati,  Mahratta,  Malay,  Mongolian,  China- 
man, Japanese,  and  many  from  nearly  every  nation 
under  the  sun  are  here.  The  carts,  drawn  by  docile, 
sleepy-eyed  oxen,  are  beyond  counting.  The  shops 
are  so  open  as  to  exhibit  their  business  to  the  gaze  of 
passers-by.  In  spite  of  the  crowds  much  of  the  work 
is  done  on  the  sidewalk  and  in  the  ditch.  Here  the 
barber  is  busy  making  bare  the  pate  and  smooth  the 
face.  The  shampooer,  too,  is  cracking  joints  and  oil- 
ing backs.  The  unclad  merchant  sums  up  his  accounts 
of  pice  and  annas  on  the  drab  sheet  with  the  sharpened 
stick,  just  as  his  fathers  did.  In  places  the  Guru,  in 
some  recess,  surrounded  by  his  forty  little  boys,  mostly 
nude,  is  laboring  hard  to  teach  the  wee  bits  to  drone 
out  the  Sanscrit  Shlokes,  that  they  may  grow  up  to 
love  Brahma.  Every  now  and  then  a  cow  is  standing 
among  the  crowds  or  leisurely  moving  along  the  way 
undisturbed,  for  she  fs  still  held  in  highest  reverence 
by  multitudes  in  this  land.  Coolies  are  swinging 
along  with  skins  of  water  on  their  back,  sprinkling 
the  streets. 

So  it  is:  the  followers  of  Brahma  and  Mohammed 
appear  to  cling  to  the  past,  braced  with  their  might 
against  the  onward  sweep  of  the  nineteenth  century. 
But  not  so  with  the  Europeans  here,  nor  especially  with 
the  Parsees,  who  have  won  the  right  to  be  called  Indian 


234  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

citizens.  The  latter  are  distinguished  at  once  by  their 
peculiar  costume.  As  you  see  them  stirring  about  on 
the  streets,  or  witness  them  in  law  offices,  in  counting- 
rooms,  in  places  of  business,  or  riding  for  pleasure,  you 
soon  are  convinced  they  are  enterprising  and  resolved 
on  progress.  The  very  expression  of  their  faces  shows 
that  they  are  prompted  by  honest  and  high  motives. 
No  other  natives  are  so  generally  educated  as  they. 
Nearly  all  of  them  can  speak  well,  not  only  the  lan- 
guages of  India,  but  the  English  and  the  Sanscrit. 
They  believe  in  the  home,  and  therefore  in  the  edu- 
cation of  woman.  Accordingly,  they  provide  good 
schools  for  the  girls  as  well  as  for  the  boys.  As  you 
see  the  Zoroastrian  maidens  in  school,  with  their  black 
tresses  and  flowing  dresses  of  bright  colors,  having  fair, 
happy  faces,  you  can  but  rejoice  to  find  such  an  oasis 
or  promise  for  woman  in  these  desert  lands,  where  she 
is,  and  has  been,  terribly  enslaved  for  centuries. 

All  the  Parsee  boys  are  in  schools  of  some  grade,  and 
remain  until  they  can  graduate  with  honor  and  fitness 
for  business  or  some  profession. 

The  Parsees  originated  in  Persia,  and  are  the  disciples 
of  Zoroaster,  who  lived  more  than  three  thousand  years 
ago.  To  him  they  believed  was  given  the  message  of 
one  who  is  Lord  of  all  and  who  is  not  to  Zoroaster  a 
being  like  unto  man.  This  One  was  Ahura-Mazda, 
Spiritual  Mighty  One,  Creator  of  all.  Zoroaster  be- 
lieved that  the  most  striking  manifestation  of  this  All- 
Creative  One  is  the  sun  or  light,  and  so  he  used  fire  as 
a  symbol  of  this  Highest  One ;  and  thus  have  his  fol- 
lowers continued  to  do,  and  therefore  falsely  have  been 


INDIA.  235 

called  fire-worshippers;  while  the  truth  is  they  have 
adored  the  one  God,  as  much  as  the  Jews.  Their  re- 
ligion, as  expressed  in  their  Bible,  the  Zend-Avesta,  is 
embraced  in  these  terse  sayings,  "  good  thoughts,  good 
words,  good  deeds,"  of  which  the  disciple  is  constantly 
reminded  by  his  triple  coil  of  white  woollen  girdle  of 
seventy-two  threads,  denoting  the  number  of  chapters 
of  his  Sacred  Book,  with  two  tassels  of  twelve  knots 
marking  the  months  of  the  year. 

Though  the  Parsees  do  not  number  more  than  ninety 
thousand  souls,  and  half  of  them  are  in  Bombay,  they 
are  wielding  a  decided  influence  in  the  modern  civil- 
ization of  the  East.  They  were  long  a  persecuted 
race,  driven  from  their  native  country  eleven  hundred 
years  ago  by  the  Moslems  and  settled  in  Sugat,  and 
from  that  point  have  become  scattered  through  India. 
By  their  fruits  they  are  making  themselves  known  as 
worthy  and  efficient  members  of  society.  The  Queen 
of  England  has  no  more  honorable  and  patriotic  sub- 
jects in  India.  They  must  have  a  deal  of  that  noble 
blood  of  the  ancient  Persian  coursing  in  their  veins. 
They  own  and  occupy  some  of  the  best  residences  in 
Bombay.  It  is  refreshing  to  visit  their  homes  after 
seeing  so  many  wretched  ones  in  this  country. 

We  are  fortunate  to  witness  a  wedding  party  just  at 
sunset,  led  by  a  band  of  music  to  the  temple  in  which 
the  ceremony  is  to  take  place.  There  are  as  many  as 
a  hundred  in  all.  The  men  are  attired  in  their  white, 
loose  togas,  and  the  women  in  their  rich  silks  of  striking 
colors,  with  the  snowy  band  round  the  head,  crowned 
with  the  sari  of  violet  or  rose,  sea-green  or  sapphire. 


236  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

The  Zoroastrian  youths  are  present,  with  bright  faces 
and  glossiest  black  flowing  hair.  The  whole  ceremony 
cannot  be  finished  till  four  o'clock  in  the  morning. 
The  wedding-knot  should  be  strongly  tied  by  that  time. 
Divorces  seldom  occur  among  the  Parsees. 

In  Bombay  this  religious  sect  is  known,  especially 
to  travellers,  by  their  Tower  of  Silence,  which  occupies 
the  crown  of  Malabar  Hill. 

Through  the  kindness  of  Parsee  authorities  we  are 
privileged  to  visit  this  sacred  place  in  company  with  two 
Parsee  gentlemen  of  culture.  It  is  mid-afternoon  as  we 
ride  forth.  The  morning  and  noon  have  been  exces- 
sively hot,  but  now  a  cooling  breeze  is  wafted  from  the 
sea.  The  ride  is  very  enjoyable.  Places  of  note  and 
interest  on  the  street  are  pointed  out,  and  bits  of  his- 
tory happily  recited.  As  we  come  into  the  Parsee  and 
English  quarters  of  the  city,  the  houses  seem  inviting. 
The  grounds  and  yards  abound  in  flowers  and  cocoanut- 
trees.  In  half  an  hour  we  come  to  rising  ground, 
where  the  carriage  is  left.  Soon  the  ascent  is  gradually 
steep,  and  so  paved  with  stones  as  to  prevent  any  slip- 
ping or  falling.  The  passage  is  broad,  and  by  flights  of 
steps  and  inclined  planes  the  summit  is  gained  after  a 
walk  of  fifteen  minutes.  Here  we  come  to  Praying 
Temples,  where  prayers  are  wont  to  be  offered  up  as 
the  dead  are  borne  hither  on  their  way  for  burial.  In 
the  principal  temple  is  the  sacred  fire,  fed  night  and  day 
with  incense  and  sacred  sandalwood.  From  this  spot 
there  is  a  most  delightful  view  of  the  city,  sea,  and  sur- 
rounding country.  Perhaps  a  more  charming  landscape 
picture  cannot  anywhere  else  be  found.  It  is  so  still 


INDIA.  237 

here  that  it  may  well  be  called  silent,  and  yet  it  is 
enchantingly  beautiful.  Passing  on  in  the  funereal  road, 
we  are  immediately  in  the  midst  of  beds  of  flowers, 
plants,  cedars,  and  cypresses,  through  whose  branches 
the  breezes  are  whispering  soft,  plaintive  requiems  and 
the  birds  are  singing  sweet  vespers.  Beyond  this  pleas- 
ant retreat,  among  groves  of  palms  and  pines,  are  five 
stone  cylindrical  towers,  from  sixty  to  ninety  feet  in 
diameter  and  thirty  feet  high.  These  have  been  most 
thoroughly  built,  costing  some  forty  thousand  dollars 
each.  The  oldest  has  existed  for  two  hundred  years, 
another  for  more  than  a  hundred,  and  the  others  have 
been  built  the  present  century.  In  the.  centre  of  each 
there  is  an  open  space,  forty  feet  in  diameter,  but  above 
and  around  this  are  three  tiers  of  seventy-two  troughs 
on  a  surface  inclined  to  the  centre.  The  first  tier  is  for 
the  remains  of  children,  the  second  for  those  of  women, 
and  the  third  for  those  of  men.  These  are  all  con- 
structed in  keeping  with  the  best  sanitary  measures. 
The  dead  are  always  borne  here  on  the  heads  of  bearers 
who  are  employed  especially  for  this  purpose ;  and  the 
mourners  always  walk,  however  far  away,  in  following  the 
silent  form  of  their  beloved  to  this  resting-place.  They 
are  dressed  in  white,  and  walk  two  by  two,  the  corpse 
preceding  them  in  front  by  some  thirty  feet ;  when  they 
approach  the  tower  in  which  the  dead  is  to  be  deposited, 
they  stop  thirty  feet  away,  as  the  form  is  placed  on  the 
steps.  Then  the  mourners  retreat  to  the  sacred  temple, 
where  they  offer  up  prayers  that  the  departed  may  be 
safely  transported  to  the  final  peaceful  dwelling-place. 
At  the  same  time  the  bearers  transfer  the  corpse  to  its 


238  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

appropriate  place,  removing  the  clothing,  in  keeping 
with  the  idea  that  as  man  comes  into  this  world  naked, 
so  naked  he  should  go  out  of  it.  Neither  the  mourn- 
ers nor  the  priests,  nor  any  but  these  appointed  men 
ever  go  into  these  tombs.  These  bodies  are  lovingly 
left  to  the  keeping  of  God,  that  through  his  agencies 
the  putrid  matter  may  become  purified  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible. The  friends  feel  they  have  placed  it  high  up  in 
the  keeping  of  the  All-Creator;  and  if  he  sends  birds  to 
devour  the  flesh  at  once,  as  is  generally  the  case,  it  is 
well.  Then  the  living  cannot  be  contaminated  by  the 
dead.  In  the  course  of  two  weeks  those  in  charge  of 
these  towers  enter  and  remove  the  skeleton  to  the  vault 
or  centre,  so  that  the  bones  of  the  fathers  and  children 
may  rest  together.  Now  the  motives  prompting  this 
people  to  dispose  of  their  dead  in  this  manner  cannot 
be  pronounced  crude  or  impure.  Certainly  they  would 
not  be  by  those  knowing  them.  This  burial  service  is 
solemn,  simple,  and  beautiful.  They  do  not  talk  of  their 
departed  as  dead,  but  as  living;  and  so  on  the  nine- 
teenth day  of  the  new  year  they  hold  a  special  memorial 
service  on  this  hill,  bringing  offerings  to  the  shrines 
for  their  sainted,  not  with  the  feeling  that  they  covet 
such  things,  but  that  they  are  delighted  with  the  spirit 
which  bestows,  and  holds  their  love  in  remembrance. 
The  offerings  that  become  thus  consecrated  they  bear 
to  their  homes,  and  treat  them  as  having  served  a 
spiritual  purpose.  The  ninth  day  of  the  month  is  also 
given,  more  or  less,  to  special  worship  in  their  temples. 
But  five  times  every  day  the  sheims  have  seasons  of 
prayer  before  the  holy  fire. 


INDIA.  239 

From  what  has  been  said  it  is  evident  that  the  Par- 
sees  are  a  religious  people  and  that  they  manifest  the 
Christian  spirit  in  their  lives. 

Should  any  take  exceptions  to  the  disposal  of  their 
dead,  it  would  be  well  for  such,  if  from  the  West,  to 
ask  themselves,  Is  our  method  free  from  criticism?  It 
seems  much  worse  to  the  Parsee  to  place  the  body  in 
the  grave  to  become  putrid  and  eaten  up  gradually  by 
worms  than  for  it  to  be  disposed  of  in  an  hour  by  vul- 
tures and  other  birds.  Should  they  be  deprived  of  this 
method,  then  they  would  prefer  cremation,  as  do  the 
Brahmans,  to  burying  their  dead  in  the  ground.  Our 
Auburns,  Greenwoods,  and  other  beautiful  cemeteries 
are  sacred  places  to  us,  and  from  the  force  of  educa- 
tion we  choose  our  method  of  interring  the  bodies  of 
our  departed ;  still,  when  we  realize  why  and  how  the 
Parsees  lovingly  and  solemnly  dispose  of  the  forms  that 
have  been  so  dear  to  them,  and  cling  to  the  life  that 
has  become  infinitely  more  precious  and  according  to 
their  faith  is  to  live  on  forever,  we  acknowledge  that 
Christians  have  not  attained  unto  that  state  beyond 
which  there  is  no  improvement.  So  far  as  extrava- 
gance, heavy  burdens  forced  upon  the  poor,  and  pro- 
tection to  the  health  of  the  living  are  concerned,  the 
Parsees  certainly  have  the  advantage  over  us.  Their 
poor  have  decent  burial  without  impoverishing  the  liv- 
ing. They  believe  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul ;  that 
man  is  a  free  moral  agent,  responsible  to  his  Creator  for 
his  thoughts  and  deeds ;  that  he  will  be  rewarded  in  the 
next  world  according  to  his  good  or  bad  acts ;  that  the 
virtuous  will  be  happy  and  the  sinful  miserable. 


240  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

There  is  nothing  obnoxious  or  hideous  in  this  place 
of  interment.  The  receptacles  of  the  dead  are  scat- 
tered among  trees  and  builded  high  into  the  bending 
sky,  so  that  they  have  no  taint  of  the  charnel-house. 
There  is  nothing  in  sight  that  savors  in  the  least  of  the 
taint  of  death.  But  the  roses  throw  out  their  perfumes, 
leaf  and  petal  hold  forth  their  beauty,  and  the  birds  have 
homes  in  the  trees.  Malabar  Hill  is  warmed  by  the 
sun,  fanned  by  the  breeze,  and  brooded  over  by  the 
stars.  It  may  well  be  called  the  Tower  of  Silence,  for 
God  lifted  it  high  above  the  noise  of  the  world,  and  the 
Zoroastrians  received  it  from  his  hands,  beautified  it, 
and  have  glorified  it  as  the  resting-place  of  their  dead. 
To  them  it  is  a  most  sacred  retreat  for  prayer  and  com- 
munion with  the  translated. 

But  you  must  not  leave  this  commercial  city  of  nearly 
a  million  of  inhabitants  without  crossing  the  bay  to  the 
island  of  Elephanta  to  inspect  the  caverns  cut  out  of 
the  rocks  and  the  Hindu  images  and  pillars  carved  in 
them  to  express  the  worship  that  formerly  took  place 
there.  They  are  surely  worth  a  visit,  particularly  the 
sculptured  statue  of  Ardhamarishwara,  which  stands 
on  the  black  hillside.  The  name  is  said  to  signify, 
"  The  Lord  who  is  male  and  female."  One  half  of  it 
from  head  to  foot  is  male,  and  the  other  female.  The 
knotted  hair  and  braided  tresses,  the  heavy  limbs  and 
delicate  form  sharply  define  the  sex.  As  you  turn 
away  from  it  you  are  disposed  to  say,  "  It  is  nothing 
but  a  fabled  monster."  As  you  are  wandering  about 
you  are  quite  sure  to  be  cautioned  against  the  cobras 
that  lurk  in  these  ledges.  In  imagination,  no  doubt, 


INDIA.  241 

many  a  traveller  sees  the  monster.  But  the  surpassing 
experience  of  all  on  this  island  is  the  landscape  pre- 
sented from  the  highest  point.  God's  blending  of  sun- 
light and  sky  and  sea  and  land  is  marvellously  beautiful. 
When  you  find  in  the  midst  of  these  a  great  city,  the 
picture  becomes  ecstatically  grand  and  beautiful. 

But  when  the  Elephantan  caves  are  described  as 
more  wonderful  than  the  ruins  of  Thebes  or  Nineveh 
or  Babylon,  a  great  mistake  is  made.  It  is  like  at- 
tempting to  make  the  moon  outdo  the  sun. 

Bombay  is  a  religious  city,  if  judged  by  its  sects. 
The  Brahmans  are  strong,  the  Moslems  are  numerous, 
the  Zoroastrians  are  influential,  the  Catholics  boast  of 
their  numbers,  and  the  Protestants  hold  a  sure  footing. 

Were  it  not  for  the  history  of  India,  the  traveller  would 
hardly  feel  compensated  in  going  through  the  country, 
for  it  is  quite  certain  to  be  either  too  hot  or  too  cold. 
From  the  fact  of  excessive  heat,  it  is  a  question  whether 
this  land  can  ever  prosper  like  England  or  the  United 
States.  One  thing  is  certain,  people  here  cannot  en- 
dure work  as  they  do  in  cooler  latitudes.  Either  heat 
or  indolence  has  forced  them  into  the  sitting  posture 
when  forging  at  the  anvil,  framing  a  building,  weeding 
the  garden,  or  paving  the  street.  The  natives  in  public 
places,  whenever  it  is  possible,  are  sure  to  be  prostrate 
at  full  length  or  to  be  squatting  on  the  ground.  Eng- 
land is  not  realizing  what  she  anticipated  when  the 
country  first  came  into  her  possession.  Europeans  can- 
not endure  the  climate  for  many  successive  years. 

Since  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  Great  Britain 
has  kept  getting  a  stronger  and  stronger  hold  in  India, 

16 


242  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

until  now  it  holds  the  supremacy,  having  some  nine 
hundred  English  appointed  officers  in  the  government. 
The  people  generally  do  not  speak  hopefully  of  India. 
They  realize  it  has  a  past,  at  times  heroic  and  full  of 
romance,  and  again  dark  and  ominous.  They  assign 
various  causes  for  this  state  of  things.  Many  are  in- 
clined to  believe  it  is  owing  largely  to  the  religions. 
But  Brahmanism  is  on  the  decline,  and  Muslimism  has 
lost  its  grip.  Accordingly,  these  hindrances  are  not  in 
the  way  as  formerly.  Still  the  feeling  of  caste  is  as 
strong  as  ever.  This  is  a  tremendous  incubus  about 
the  neck  of  the  nation.  Education  and  Christianity 
alone  can  remedy  this  trouble.  Very  important  steps 
have  already  been  taken  in  behalf  of  education.  How- 
ever, it  would  seem  that  this  work  was  begun  at  the 
wrong  end,  establishing  first  the  college  and  private 
school;  but  the  Mission  Schools  are  changing  this 
order  of  things,  doing  a  grand  service  for  the  common 
classes,  and  lifting  the  masses  upward. 


CHAPTER 


THE   PERSIAN  GULF,   AND   THE  EUPHRATES  AND 
TIGRIS   TO   THE  NILE. 

IT  is  burning  hot  as  the  "  Satara  "  steams  out  of  the 
harbor  of  Bombay  for  the  Persian  Gulf;  however, 
one  of  the  most  inviting  landscapes  is  presented.  Sea, 
plain,  hill,  mountain,  sky,  and  sunlight  so  commingle 
as  to  fashion  a  lovely  picture.  For  two  days  we  are 
sailing  along  the  Indian  coast  till  anchors  are  dropped 
in  the  port  of  Kurrachee,  a  city  that  has  sprung  up  on 
a  level  of  sand  and  is  fast  becoming  a  centre  of  trade, 
because  almost  in  a  direct  line  from  Aden  to  Calcutta. 
It  is  believed  this  will  soon  be  an  important  town  on  the 
shortest  mail-route  to  the  far  East. 

The  coast  now,  as  the  steamer  pushes  on,  becomes 
abrupt  and  then  level.  For  the  most  part  it  is  sterile. 
We  no  longer  think  it  strange  that  Beloochistan  should 
not  figure  more  prominently  among  the  countries  of  the 
globe.  As  the  eye  scans  far  inland,  it  sees  one  stretch 
of  desolation.  After  days  of  sailing  the  Straits  of  Or- 
muz  are  reached,  leading  from  the  Arabian  Sea  to  the 
Persian  Gulf.  A  few  hours  later,  and  we  are  passing 
the  Isle  of  Ormuz.  Word-pictures  of  the  poet  are  re- 
called, describing  this  as  an  island  of  emerald,  abound- 
ing in  silver,  gold,  rubies,  and  diamonds.  Hither  came 
many  a  poor  man  who  would  soon  return  home  rich 


244  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

as  Croesus,  or  like  Jason,  with  a  golden  fleece.  But 
at  present  how  changed !  The  island  is  composed 
of  naked  rock,  massed  into  bunches  and  folds  of  lava. 
No  tree  or  grass  is  visible.  With  the  glass  are  to  be 
seen  remnants  of  th'e  light-house  and  water-tanks  built 
more  than  two  hundred  years  ago  by  the  Portuguese. 
Some  two  hundred  persons  inhabit  it,  who  eke  out  a 
living  by  fishing  and  working  a  salt-mine.  The  real 
throws  a  pall  over  the  ideal. 

Ahead  ,and  to  the  east  loom  up  the  Persian  Moun- 
tains. How  they  tower  and  stretch  along  the  coast! 
Close  down  to  the  water  the  ridges  resemble  snow,  be- 
coming white  with  a  nitrous  formation.  Higher  and 
still  higher  are  ranges  upon  ranges  without  any  vege- 
tation, while  away  in  the  distance  are  loftier  heights 
crowned  with  snow.  As  these  mountains  are  surveyed 
you  can  single  out  domes,  cathedrals,  bulwarks,  and 
nearly  every  conceivable  architectural  shape.  Now 
comes  in  view  the  village  of  Bundar  Abbas.  Its  houses 
look  like  a  mass  of  square  boxes  piled  together.  Here 
and  there  are  a  few  palm-trees  growing.  No  indica- 
tions are  discovered  that  ploughs,  hoes,  or  spades  are 
used.  In  fact,  all  the  people  are  congregated  on  the 
strand.  Going  on  shore,  the  men  and  women  are  in 
large  groups  and  of  Titanic  size.  Xenophon's  descrip- 
tion of  the  huge  Persians  seems  to  be  verified.  Still, 
as  you  watch  their  movements  and  study  their  charac- 
teristics, you  soon  decide  they  cannot  be  much  like  the 
followers  of  Cyrus.  They  are  the  exponents  of  dirt. 
They  have  monstrous  bundles  on  their  heads,  coarse  gar- 
ments next  to  their  skin  girded  with  a  tight  tunic,  and  in 


THE   PERSIAN  GULF.  245 

the  winter  time  most  of  them  have  on  a  shaggy  cloak. 
Their  legs  below  the  knees  are  bare,  and  their  feet  are 
protected  by  rude  sandals.  The  women  here  wear  pants, 
with  coarse  loose  wraps  about  the  shoulders.  The  chil- 
dren are  encased  in  mud,  and  so  dispense  with  clothing. 

This  proves  to  be  their  market-day.  Wheat,  rice, 
beans,  carrots,  radishes,  oranges,  and  black  walnuts  are 
heaped  up  along  the  shore.  In  the  stalls  are  West 
India  goods  from  England,  and  tobacco  from  America. 
Strolling  among  the  bazaars,  we  find  them  full  of 
darkness,  but  lacking  merchandise. 

This  is  one  of  the  principal  seaports  of  Persia,  and 
is  guarded  by  a  regiment  of  the  Shah's  soldiers,  who 
need  watching  to  keep  them  out  of  the  cellars  and  hen- 
neries. Persia  is  poor,  and  so  are  her  soldiers.  The 
Shah  has  absolute  authority  over  his  subjects.  No 
stranger  will  doubt  this  who  sees  the  places  where  he 
walls  them  in  and  strings  them  up,  putting  them  to 
death  in  the  most  cruel  manner.  There  are  no  indica- 
tions of  schools  in  this  town  of  four  thousand  people. 
Several  inferior  mosques  are  visible ;  the  religious  faith 
is  Mohammedan.  Most  of  the  men  are  armed  with 
guns  made  before  flintlocks  were  invented.  It  must  be 
that  they  wear  these  to  be  in  fashion,  for  they  would  be 
able  to  fire  them  but  a  few  times  in  an  age. 

The  whistle  gives  the  signal  for  all  to  come  on  board 
the  "  Satara,"  to  see  more  of  Persia  farther  up  the  gulf. 
Twenty-four  hours'  experience  at  Linga  is  much  the 
same  as  at  Bundar  Abbas.  Though  the  inhabitants 
reside  on  the  seashore,  their  faces  do  not  appear  to 
be  familiar  with  water. 


246  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

Two  days  later  the  steamer  lies  in  the  bay  of  Bushire, 
a  city  of  sixty  thousand  human  beings,  composed  of 
Persians,  Armenians,  and  Arabs.  This  is  the  great 
mart  of  the  country.  The  houses  are  fort-like  in 
structure,  and  the  better  class  are  overtopped  with 
wind-catchers.  It  is  hot  here  the  year  round.  Several 
gunboats  are  moored  in  the  harbor,  implying  that  the 
olive  branch  of  peace  does  not  always  wave  here. 

On  visiting  the  city,  the  streets  are  found  to  be  tortu- 
ous and  filthy.  It  is  a  wonder  the  people  do  not  all  die 
with  some  plague.  Woman  is  degraded,  and  man  is 
not  elevated.  It  is  exceedingly  pleasant  to  fall  in  here 
with  some  English  families,  who  have  beautiful  homes, 
just  outside  of  the  city,  in  the  midst  of  flowers.  These 
are  serving  the  government  and  establishing  schools. 

The  Elamites,  who  were  descendants  of  Shem,  an- 
ciently dwelt  in  this  region.  Stone  coffins  and  other 
relics  are  being  discovered. 

In  a  few  hours  from  Bushire,  we  are  steaming  up  the 
Shat-el-Arab  River.  Close  on  the  Arabian  side  the 
Turks  are  constructing  a  strong  fortification  for  the  de- 
fence of  the  gulf  and  the  river.  On  either  side  the  land 
is  as  level  as  a  house  floor.  Evidently  the  Turks  sur- 
mise that  the  Russians  may  come  down  of  a  sudden 
from  the  north,  or  the  English  sail  from  the  south, 
declaring  that  this  land  is  theirs,  and  so  they  intend  to 
be  ready  for  either,  saluting  them  with  shot  and  shell, 
commanding,  "  Hands  off!  "  Soon  Fau  is  gained,  a 
newly  established  telegraphic  station  in  this  sparsely 
settled  land.  By  and  by  Mohamera  is  passed  on  the 
Persian  side,  which  is  now  a  rude  village,  but  was  for- 


THE   PERSIAN   GULF.  247 

merly  an  influential  town.  In  twelve  hours  from  the  time 
the  river  was  entered,  the  steamer  is  anchored  in  front 
of  Bussorah,  eighty  miles  up  the  Shat-el-Arab  River. 
Several  spacious  buildings  are  located  on  either  side  of 
the  river,  which  is  a  third  of  a  mile  wide  at  this  point. 
Englishmen  and  Scotchmen  are  here  carrying  on  trade 
in  dates,  hides,  and  other  commodities.  It  is  surprising 
what  Great  Britain  is  achieving  in  different  lands  of 
the  globe.  Last  year  five  hundred  thousand  tons  of 
dates  were  shipped  from  this  place,  besides  vast  quan- 
tities of  hides  and  wool. 

Bussorah  is  a  city  of  sixty  thousand  souls,  —  Arabic 
and  Mohammedan,  —  situated  somewhat  back  from  the 
river,  boasting  itself  to  be  an  influential  town  in  this 
region  where  wild  hogs  and  wolves  roam. 

Close  by  this  spot  once  stood  the  famous  city  of 
Eridu,  on  the  shores  of  the  Persian  Gulf.  Great 
changes  have  taken  place  since  then,  producing  eighty 
miles  of  land,  or  removing  the  gulf  that  distance  off. 
The  relics  found  sjiow  that  Ea,  the  god  of  the  sea,  ruled 
over  the  city.  Fifty  miles  up  the  river  is  the  junction  of 
the  Euphrates  and  Tigris.  Just  between  these  are  the 
ruins  of  Ereck,  whose  history  has  told  upon  the  ad- 
vancement of  civilization.  Tradition  says  this  was  the 
home  of  the  unfortunate  Cain.  Ana,  the  god  of  the  sky, 
was  its  presiding  deity,  assisted  by  Istas,  the  goddess 
of  the  evening.  This  is  said  to  have  been  a  city  of 
priests  and  festivals.  It  is  reported  that  the  Garden  of 
Eden  lay  to  the  north  of  it,  between  the  rivers.  At 
present  there  are  few  signs  of  a  garden.  However, 
there  is  a  solitary  acacia  that  has  been  severely  plucked, 


248  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

as  if  supposed  to  be  akin  to  the  tree  of  knowledge.  It 
is  a  fact  that  the  soil  is  very  rich  and  deep.  Were  it 
properly  cultivated,  it  would  yield  three  hundred  fold, 
Bricks  and  pottery  are  found  in  large  quantities,  prov- 
ing that  an  advanced  people  once  dwelt  here.  Then, 
too,  there  are  dunes  of  dirt  and  many  ditches,  showing 
how  the  surface  was  cut  up  by  canals.  This  must  have 
been  somewhat  of  an  inland  city. 

Crossing  the  Euphrates,  which  is  eight  hundred  yards 
wide,  and  ascending  perhaps  forty  miles,  on  the  west 
bank  are  found  masses  of  wasting  brick  and  broken 
pottery.  This  was  the  site  of  Ur.  Ah !  here  was  the 
home  of  Abraham.  Here  it  was,  as  he  was  taught  to 
worship  Sin,  the  god  of  the  moon,  he  conceived  the 
idea  of  the  one  living  God.  Here  it  was  that  Sarah, 
Leah,  and  Rachel  were  wont  to  bring  water  from  the 
Euphrates,  as  women  are  doing  to-day.  Richest  asso- 
ciations cluster  around  this  spot,  because  heroes  and 
heroines  have  been  made  here.  Fullest  liberty  of  con- 
science has  grown  from  the  soil  of  the  most  trying 
sacrifices.  Palms  are  growing  now  close  around  this 
spot,  and  in  places  the  grass  is  green  and  starred  with 
fairest  flowers.  In  the  night  owls  hoot  in  the  trees  and 
jackals  bark.  Still,  the  old  city  of  Ur  through  imagina- 
tion is  seen  as  most  lovely  because  it  produced  beautiful 
characters. 

Farther  up  the  river,  and  a  few  miles  south  from  it,  is 
the  rude  village  of  Keffil.  This  is  sought  from  the  fact 
that  it  is  a  great  resort  for  Hebrews.  The  people  living 
here  would  not  be  likely  to  attract,  unless  it  were  for 
uncouthness.  But  here  is  the  tomb  of  Ezekiel,  built 


THE   EUPHRATES.  249 

out  of  hardest  burnt  brick  and  kept  in  a  good  state  of 
preservation.  A  light  is  constantly  burning  on  the  sar- 
cophagus. Thousands  of  Israelites  visit  this  sacred 
shrine  yearly.  Were  it  not  for  these  memorials  thickly 
sown  over  the  earth,  how  the  past  would  be  severed 
from  the  present !  Let  the  ashes  of  the  sainted  be  for- 
ever consecrated ! 

Returning  to  the  river  and  still  going  up  the  stream 
for  miles,  we  arrive  at  Kufa.  From  the  debris  it  would 
seem  that  there  must  have  been  a  great  city  here. 
Some  writings  found  state  that  it  was  forty-five  miles 
square.  Here  report  says  Noah  entered  the  ark.  Let 
that  be  as  it  may,  the  writings  on  tablets  describe  it  as 
a  beautiful  city ;  but  the  present  mud-hovels  are  quite 
to  the  contrary.  As  far  as  the  eye  can  reach,  it  is  one 
extended  level  country.  Were  it  not  for  the  artificial 
mounds  and  the  palm-trees,  there  would  be  naught  to 
intercept  the  sight. 

Some  four  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  the  union  of 
the  two  great  rivers,  the  site  of  old  Babylon  is  reached. 
The  piles  of  debris  are  vast  and  numerous.  The  old 
city  extended  some  twelve  miles  north  and  south,  hav- 
ing an  area  of  two  hundred  and  sixteen  square  miles, 
encompassed  by  walls  three  hundred  feet  high,  a  hun- 
dred feet  thick  at  the  base,  and  so  wide  on  the  top  that 
three  chariots  could  race  abreast,  and  was  sixty-seven 
miles  in  extent.  The  walls  were  made  out  of  brick  four- 
teen inches  square  and  four  thick.  It  is  difficult  to  con- 
ceive how  it  could  be  possible  to  produce  so  many. 
Within  the  walls  to  the  north  is  an  enormous  mound 
of  brick,  which  it  would  seem  must  be  the  ruins  of  a 


250  ROUND   THE  GLOBE. 

palace  and  citadel.  But  little  has  been  done  in  the  way 
of  exploring  and  examining  the  mysterious  structures ; 
at  present  they  are  the  haunts  of  vultures  and  jackals. 
Two  miles  to  the  south  is  another  immense  pile,  called 
the  Kasr.  This  has  been  dug  over  to  some  extent,  so 
that  heavy  brick  walls  and  the  figure  of  a  huge  lion 
made  from  dolorite  are  exposed.  Across  a  channel  is 
a  still  larger  mass,  occupying  acres.  This  is  supposed 
to  have  been  connected  with  the  Kasr,  or  Palace,  and 
may  have  been  part  of  the  wondrous  Hanging  Gardens. 
Here  Nebuchadnezzar  ruled  in  luxury  till  he  fell  into 
abject  ruin.  After  this  inglorious  fall,  here  it  was  that 
his  grandson  Belshazzar  revelled  till  one  night,  the  waters 
of  the  Euphrates  having  been  turned  from  their  course, 
Cyrus  the  Great  marched  down  the  bed  of  the  river 
under  the  light  of  the  stars,  and  striking  down  the  hun- 
dred brazen  gates,  quickly  entered  the  city  and  captured 
the  king  and  his  subjects.  The  river  still  runs  close  by 
the  Kasr,  and  on  its  banks  the  osiers  grow;  possibly 
it  was  here  that  Cyrus  found  the  captive  Jews  hanging 
their  harps  on  the  willows  and  weeping  for  their  native 
land,  and  promised  to  return  them  to  their  beloved 
Jerusalem. 

Two  miles  farther  south  we  cross  the  Euphrates  on 
a  bridge  of  boats.  This  does  not  remind  one  of  the 
Tay  in  Scotland  or  of  the  Brooklyn  Bridge.  A  coach 
and  four,  or  even  a  hack  and  one,  would  not  get  on  in 
trying  to  cross  it,  but  the  horses  in  single  file  succeed 
fairly  well  in  going  down,  up,  and  over.  Reaching 
the  opposite  side,  crowds  of  natives  press  upon  the 
strangers,  having  come^out  of  the  streets  and  houses  of 


THE  EUPHRATES.  2$  I 

Hillah,  which  is  a  city  of  forty  thousand  Arabs,  Jews, 
and  Coolies,  perched  on  the  bank  of  the  river.  Women 
in  long  blue  gowns  and  ragged  veils  are  hastening  to 
and  fro  with  pitchers  of  water  on  their  heads,  dipped 
from  the  Euphrates.  The  boys  crowd  round,  bawling 
out  "Backsheesh  !  "  Countless  dogs  yelp  and  then  slink 
away.  English  sparrows  are  flying  about  the  roofs  and 
twittering  precisely  as  they  do  in  London.  The  build- 
ings are  huddled  together,  exhibiting  nothing  like  the 
order  that  exists  in  a  settlement  of  beavers  or  a  col- 
ony of  ants.  The  city  presents  a  gray,  gloomy  aspect. 
It  would  seem  as  if  the  people  were  all  out  of  doors  to 
get  the  news,  which  is  conveyed  by  the  mouth;  for 
there  is  no  paper  published  in  the  city,  and  if  there 
were,  probably  not  twenty  in  the  city  could  read  it.  Of 
course  the  women  cannot  read,  for  public  opinion  does 
not  permit  them  to  learn.  They  are  considered  inferior 
when  they  enter  this  world,  and  are  kept  so  till  they  go 
out  of  it.  The  khan  is  the  hotel  in  this  land,  and  stran- 
gers are  seeking  one  in  which  to  stop  at  night  while 
in  the  city.  Several  are  examined  before  one  is  found 
that  is  fit  for  animals,  much  less  for  the  endurance  of 
human  beings.  In  the  khan  man  and  his  beast  are 
expected  to  tarry  close  together.  But  fortunately  a 
side-room  is  obtained,  through  which,  though  near  the 
animals,  the  westerly  breezes  blow,  proffering  at  least 
so  much  that  is  clean  and  fresh.  The  dragoman  serves 
meals  of  corned  beef  from  Chicago,  jelly  from  London, 
cocoa  from  Ceylon,  goat's  milk,  bread,  and  boiled  eggs 
from  Hillah. 

Strangers  are  often  hailed  by  Jews  declaring  them- 


252  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

selves  the  offspring  of  the  Captives.  Well,  there  can 
be  no  question  that  they  are  Jews.  They  have  tablets 
and  seals  for  sale,  but  when  you  tell  them  they  are  of- 
fering counterfeits,  they  scorn  you;  nevertheless,  they 
deal  largely  in  the  bogus.  But  let  the  modern  pass  for 
the  present,  and  we  will  ride  southward  among  piles  of 
ruin  for  six  miles,  until  we  reach  the  location  of  ancient 
Sippira,  later  Borsippa,  and  still  later  the  Tower  of 
Babel,  which  is  believed  to  be  the  oldest  ruin  in  the 
world,  and  is  now  known  as  Birs  Nimroud.  Niebuhr 
says :  "  Other  ruins  of  Babylon  are  to  be  seen,  but  this 
is  one  of  the  grandest  and  probably  the  oldest  human 
work  in  the  world."  It  is  a  vast  collection  of  brick, 
more  than  two  thousand  feet  in  circuit  and  nearly  two 
hundred  feet  in  height.  Half  of  this  bulk  has  become 
vitrified  into  one  solid  mass.  How  this  change  was 
effected  is  a  mystery.  The  Tower  was  made  in  stages, 
rising  seven  stories,  each  one  varying  from  the  others 
in  altitude,  and  the  whole  being  more  than  six  hundred 
feet  high.  There  were  courts  running  out  from  the 
centre,  on  which  stood  temples  dedicated  to  different 
deities.  Each  story  of  the  Tower  was  consecrated  to 
some  heavenly  body,  and  colored  according  to  the  im- 
agined reflection  of  the  star  worshipped.  The  first  story 
was  black  for  Saturn;  the  second  orange  for  Jupiter; 
the  third  red  for  Mars;  the  fourth  green  for  Venus; 
the  fifth  blue  for  Mercury;  the  sixth  white  for  the 
moon ;  and  the  seventh  was  yellow  for  the  sun,  in  which 
was  a  golden  statue  of  Merodach,  forty  feet  high,  in  a 
sitting  posture.  Herodotus  and  Strabo  have  given  an 
account  of  this  Tower,  but  particulars  have  been  ascer- 


STONE   INSCRIBED   WITH    THE   NAME   OF   SARGON   I. 
KING   OF   SIPPIRA. 


THE   EUPHRATES.  253 

tained  from  recently  discovered  tablets  and  cylinders. 
The  upper  story  of  the  Tower  in  the  time  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzar was  a  pantheon,  in  which  were  gathered  the  gods 
from  all  the  leading  cities  of  the  land.  The  king  was 
bound  to  make  Babylon  the  city  of  the  whole  earth. 
So  he  brought  the  gods,  the  wealth,  and  the  people 
from  the  chief  towns  to  Babylon,  filling  it  with  three 
millions  of  human  beings.  It  was  then  a  grand  and 
wealthy  city.  After  it  was  captured  by  Cyrus,  it  flour- 
ished for  a  while;  then  it  was  ruled  by  Cambyses, 
and  by  Darius,  and  afterwards  by  Alexander,  Antigo- 
nus,  Demetrius,  and  finally  by  the  Parthians.  When 
Xerxes  was  on  his  forlorn  retreat  from  Greece,  he 
sacked  it,  bearing  off  the  golden  statue  of  Belus  and 
other  treasures  to  the  amount  of  one  hundred  millions 
of  dollars.  At  last  its  bricks  were  borne  away  to  build 
Seleucia,  Ctesiphon,  Kufa,  Kerbella,  and  other  cities. 
The  idols  transferred  from  the  city  are  said  to  have 
weighed  four  hundred  pounds  in  gold.  Babylon  might 
with  propriety  have  been  called  the  "  golden  city  "  at 
its  zenith;  but  its  glory  and  splendor  are  gone,  and 
naught  is  left  of  it  but  its  inscribed  brick,  its  tablets  and 
cylinders,  to  tell  of  its  past.  A  large  number  of  tablets 
have  just  been  discovered,  and  no  doubt  many  more 
will  be,  for  the  Babylonians  were  very  particular  to  have 
their  transactions  recorded.  As  yet  but  little  has  been 
done  in  examining  these  ruins.  From  these  tablets  it  is 
ascertained  that  there  were  libraries  at  Calnah  and  Accad, 
cities  on  the  Tigris,  whose  volumes  were  numbered ;  and 
these  were  removed  to  Nineveh  by  Assur-bi-ni-pal, 
where  all  were  invited  to  come  and  read.  The  oldest 


254  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

date  found  extends  back  thirty-eight  hundred  years 
before  the  Christian  era,  giving  the  reign  of  Sargon  I. 
and  his  son.  These  writings  are  in  the  cuneiform  style, 
or  old  Assyrian  language.  Within  three  years  a  large 
number  of  these  tablets  have  been  discovered  in  Egypt, 
proving  that  the  Semites  emigrated  not  only  to  Palestine 
but  to  the  banks  of  the  Nile.  It  is  now  fully  believed 
by  some  of  our  most  cultured  archaeologists  that  it  will 
be  yet  fully  demonstrated  by  these  cuneiform  writings 
that  the  human  race  did  originate  by  the  Euphrates  and 
Tigris  Rivers,  and  went  out  in  tribes  peopling  the  earth. 
It  is  now  known  that  the  Babylonians  were  a  religious 
people.  They  made  many  and  costly  sacrifices  to  their 
gods.  They  divided  the  week  into  seven  days,  and  the 
year  into  twelve  months.  They  understood  the  motion 
of  the  heavenly  bodies ;  they  used  the  sun-dial  and  the 
water-clock  to  mark  the  time.  It  would  seem  that  they 
must  have  had  the  telescope,  because  the  Sabaean  as- 
tronomers speak  of  the  spots  on  the  sun.  These  tablets 
give  an  account  of  the  flood.  They  are  showing  that 
antediluvians  and  post-diluvians  dwelt  where  now  are 
found  the  ruins  of  Kufa,  Accad,  Eridu,  and  Borsippa. 
These  discoveries  are  making  plain  many  things  in  the 
Old  Testament  which  have  been  obscure  and  inexpli- 
cable. The  prayer  of  the  inquiring  mind  is,  as  expressed 
in  the  dying  words  of  Goethe,  "  Give  me  more  light." 
As  the  new  light  comes,  we  see  where  was  darkness  be- 
fore. As  the  tree,  cut  down  and  fired,  gives  out  the 
sunshine  long  ago  stored  up ;  so,  as  these  Babylonish 
mounds  are  upturned  and  the  recesses  explored,  the 
hidden  mental  light  of  long  ago  is  being  cast  afresh 


THE  EUPHRATES.  255 

upon  the  world.  Is  it  not  immortality  to  live  in  the 
light?  Ask  Moses,  Paul,  Humboldt,  Newton,  and  Frank- 
lin. It  is  refreshing  to  stand  where  so  many  millions 
of  feet  have  trodden  the  soil,  but  how  thrilling  to  have 
minds  long  since  separated  from  the  flesh  speak  to  you 
in  songs  and  prayers  right  from  the  heart!  Eternal 
sameness  would  untune  the  soul  and  unfit  it  for  the  de- 
lights of  heaven.  The  truthfulness  of  this  is  felt  as  the 
monotonous,  plodding  life  of  the  East  is  seen  to-day. 
Novelty,  surprise,  and  change  of  scene  wake  up  the 
mind,  giving  it  footing  for  greater  things.  These  ex- 
plorations and  discoveries  are  feeding  minds  with  fresh 
inspiration,  and  causing  them  to  be  satisfied  with  noth- 
ing short  of  the  whole  truth.  Souls  thus  conditioned 
are  bound  to  find  the  "gates  ajar,"  and  new  light  all 
the  while  streaming  in  from  some  other  shore. 

We  sail  up  the  river  forty  miles  to  Kerbella,  where 
lie  the  ashes  of  Hussein,  the  grandson  of  Allah,  who  gave 
his  life  for  the  sake  of  the  Faithful,  and  so  his  tomb  has 
become  a  sacred  shrine  to  the  Moslems.  Hither  two 
hundred  thousand  pilgrims  annually  come  on  foot  or 
on  horse  and  camel.  When  this  pilgrimage  from  Per- 
sia, India,  and  more  distant  lands  is  once  accomplished, 
the  devotees  feel  quite  sure  of  entering  paradise  when- 
ever they  shall  cross  the  darkling  river.  Hither  they 
bring  their  dead  for  burial  by  the  thousands. 

A  few  miles  on  is  Cunaxa,  where  Cyrus  the  younger, 
with  his  hundred  thousand  barbarians  and  thirteen 
thousand  Greeks  after  forced  marches  met  his  brother 
Artaxerxes,  with  his  nine  hundred  thousand  soldiers. 
The  odds  were  too  great.  Cyrus  was  left  dead  on  the 
field,  and  his  army  made  an  inglorious  retreat. 


256  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

Leaving  the  Euphrates,  we  cross  the  country  on 
horseback  nearly  four  hundred  miles.  The  evidences 
that  this  region  was  formerly  densely  populated  are 
numerous.  The  soil  is  everywhere  rich.  It  is  plain  to 
be  seen  that  between  the  Euphrates  and  the  Tigris  the 
land  has  been  cut  up  by  canals.  Frequently  droves  of 
cattle,  herds  of  horses,  and  flocks  of  sheep  are  seen. 
The  horses  are  sleek  and  very  cheap.  In  the  Kurd 
country  vast  grassy  meadows  are  crossed,  on  which 
thousands  of  antelopes  are  feeding  and  flocks  of  wild 
turkeys  are  flying  about.  This  journey  is  made  under 
an  escort  of  zaptiehs,  or  guardsmen.  At  Kerkook  the 
tomb  of  the  prophet  Daniel  is  visited.  Back  from  the 
rivers  the  country  is  shorn  of  trees.  No  doubt  it  was 
once  heavily  wooded.  No  more  fertile  lands  exist  than 
these;  for  the  most  part  they  are  well  watered,  being 
supplied  with  frequent  rains.  Furthermore,  the  land  is 
rich  in  mines,  quarries,  and  mineral  oils.  But  so  far  as 
it  is  inhabited,  the  people  are  barbarians,  dressed  in  cot- 
ton and  skins  and  devoted  to  rudest  warfare. 

We  have  returned  to  the  Tigris  River  nine  hundred 
miles  from  the  gulf.  The  Scriptures  speak  of  the  Tigris 
as  the  second  great  river.  Daniel  experienced  some  of 
his  prophetic  visions  on  its  banks ;  Xenophon  retreated 
along  its  tortuous  course ;  Alexander  crossed  its  tide  at 
different  points ;  Heraclius  defeated  the  fifty  thousand 
golden  spears  of  Chosroes.  On  its  banks  have  been 
built  some  of  the  most  famous  cities.  Here  at  the  head 
of  navigation  we  are  on  memorable  ground.  To  the 
north  are  mountains  fronded  and  snowy;  to  the  east, 
south,  and  west  are  grassy  plains.  Before  history  began 
to  be  recorded  in  books,  a  great  city  was  buildcd  here 


THE  TIGRIS.  257 

by  Ninus,  the  founder  of  the  Assyrian  monarchy,  two 
thousand  and  fifty-nine  years  before  Christ.  Under 
Asshur  it  had  more  than  a  million  of  people.  It  had 
gardens,  parks,  brazen  gates,  groves,  hosts  of  mer- 
chants, and  cattle  upon  the  plains.  This  was  Nineveh, 
which  was  long  the  mistress  of  the  East.  It  was  twenty 
miles  long  and  nine  wide,  and  sixty-seven  miles  in  cir- 
cuit, and  its  wall  was  a  hundred  feet  high.  Before 
Zoroaster  taught  or  Plato  philosophized,  it  was  in  its 
splendor.  It  was  older  than  the  Vedas  of  Para  Brahm 
or  the  Sutras  of  Buddha.  It  was  old  before  the  Iran 
emigrated  to  Greece  or  Germany,  or  the  Semite  de- 
parted into  Arabia  or  Egypt.  As  the  classical  writers 
began  to  refer  to  it,  they  were  somewhat  bewildered, 
for  Ctesias,  Diodorus,  and  Siculus  speak  of  it  as  being 
situated  on  the  Euphrates.  Though  Herodotus,  Strabo, 
Pliny,  and  Ptolemy  treat  of  it  as  being  upon  the  Tigris, 
they  impart  but  little  information  concerning  it.  So  it 
had  passed  away,  and  Alexander  marched  over  its  site 
and  did  not  recognize  it.  It  slept  in  oblivion  until 
Botta,  Layard,  Rawlinson,  and  Rassam  stirred  its  slum- 
bering ashes,  opening  up  palaces,  temples,  obelisks, 
and  tombs,  on  whose  facades  the  exploits  of  kings  and 
nobles  were  carved,  and  in  the  niches  were  found  brick 
tablets  telling  of  Ninus  and  thirty  other  kings  who  suc- 
ceeded him.  In  the  centre  of  the  ruins  a  mound  is 
pointed  out  as  the  grave  of  Jonah.  To  the  north  of 
this  is  a  vast  pile  of  debris  fifty  feet  high  and  eight 
thousand  feet  in  circumference.  This  has  been  some- 
what explored,  revealing  chains  of  gold,  vessels  of  silver, 
winged  bulls,  slabs  of  marble  strangely  and  curiously 

'7 


258  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

inscribed.  Many  tablets  and  cylinders  have  been  found 
giving  information  of  the  city.  But  the  half  has  not 
yet  been  revealed.  Portions  of  the  walls  can  be  traced. 
The  ruins  ought  to  be  thoroughly  examined;  but  the 
Turkish  Government  does  not  care  to  do  it,  and  is  un- 
willing that  others  should.  It  is  beautiful  among  the 
ruins.  The  grass  is  green,  and  thickly  set  with  orange 
and  purple  blossoms.  Larks  and  chats  abound,  and  sing 
merrily.  Now  and  then  a  native  may  be  seen  stroll- 
ing about  as  though  he  were  lost.  How  true  it  is  that 
great  cities  as  well  as  great  men  become  buried  in  the 
dust,  yet  the  character  of  the  former  survives  as  well 
as  that  of  the  latter.  The  views  of  Nineveh  as  pre- 
sented by  Ezekiel,  Jonah,  and  Nahum  are  darkly 
shaded,  showing  that  it  is  always  dangerous  to  sup- 
plant principle  by  wealth,  pride,  and  passion.  The 
end  of  such  is  certain  to  be  bitter. 

All  that  has  been  disclosed  tends  to  show  that  the 
plough  turned  the  first  furrow  and  the  first  harvest  was 
gleaned  between  the  Great  Rivers.  Accordingly,  no 
other  ruins  than  those  of  Babylon,  Nineveh,  and  other 
cities  near  these  rivers  can  be  of  more  interest  to  the 
enlightened  world. 

Opposite  from  these  ruins  is  the  city  of  Mosul.  Here 
in  the  bazaars,  among  other  strange  things  for  sale,  is 
manna.  It  is  of  a  yellowish  green  color,  and  of  the 
consistency  of  hard  butter.  It  is  gathered  from  the 
fields  daily,  and  is  regarded  as  a  luxury. 

A  raft  is  here  made  of  one  hundred  and  forty  goat- 
skins, tied  together  and  covered  with  small  sticks  of 
timber,  on  which  is  placed  a  little  house  covered  with 


THE  TIGRIS.  259 

sacking  and  roofed  with  canvas.  This  is  to  be  the 
means  of  transport  to  Bagdad.  The  Tigris  is  high,  and 
its  current  strong.  The  passengers  consist  of  one  Ameri- 
can, his  dragoman,  three  natives,  and  a  steersman.  As 
the  moorage  is  cut  away,  off  goes  the  craft.  In  five 
days,  which  have  been  given  to  rest,  novelties,  strik- 
ing adventures  in  a  terrible  thunder-storm,  and  much 
new  knowledge  of  geography,  geology,  and  astronomy; 
the  raft  is  anchored  at  Bagdad;  luggage  and  all  are 
transferred  to  a  tub-boat  and  whirled  ashore.  Here  the 
Tigris  is  six  hundred  yards  wide.  Looking  for  the  first 
time  upon  this  city  of  a  hundred  thousand  inhabitants, 
situated  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  embowered  in  palms 
and  orange  groves,  we  feel  it  to  be  exceedingly  attrac- 
tive. Its  architecture  makes  no  pretension  to  beauty, 
but  the  main  object  is  to  keep  cool.  Some  of  the  resi- 
dences along  the  embankments  are  spacious.  The 
houses  are  made  of  brick  and  mud,  and  are  from  one  to 
three  stories  high.  The  minarets  to  the  mosques,  being 
numerous,  present  the  nearest  approach  to  beauty.  A 
glamour  of  romance  broods  over  this  city  from  the  fact 
that  it  has  passed  through  so  many  revolutions  and  been 
in  the  hands  of  so  many  different  nationalities.  It  has 
been  styled  "  the  city  of  the  Caliphs  "  and  "  the  city  of 
peace."  But  as  you  see  daggers  strapped  to  the  belts 
of  the  men  and  guns  upon  their  backs,  you  cannot  see 
the  force  of  this  appellation.  Then  you  can  but  shudder 
as  you  recall  that  caliph  Tamerlane,  who  piled  seventy- 
five  thousand  human  skulls  into  a  monument  outside 
the  walls,  that  he  might  indicate  the  fate  of  all  who 
should  oppose  his  reign. 


260  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

But  why  should  the  city  be  called  Bagdad  ?  There 
is  a  tradition  that  a  Christian  hermit  whose  name  was 
Dad  was  the  first  settler  here ;  and  as  he  delighted  in  his 
fine  garden,  which  in  Arabic  means  "  bag,"  it  was  there- 
fore called  the  "  Garden  of  Dad,"  or  Bagdad.  In  the 
"  Arabian  Nights"  there  is  many  a  reference  to  this  city. 

From  sunrise  to  sunset  the  main  street,  lined  with 
bazaars,  is  brimful  of  people.  You  will  not  advance 
far  on  it  without  meeting  with  Turks,  Jews,  Arabs,  Tar- 
tars, Armenians,  and  Persians.  When  they  come  to 
a  standstill,  they  are  almost  certain  to  drop  into  a  sitting 
posture.  In  the  coffee-rooms,  which  are  conspicuous 
at  the  corners  of  the  streets,  the  men  of  leisure  are 
assembled,  and  are  full  of  talk,  sipping  the  coffee  and 
taking  whiffs  from  the  narghileh.  Most  of  them  are 
attired  in  a  fez,  shirt,  tunic,  and  belt,  with  a  string  of 
red  beads.  Some  of  them  have  rings  in  the  tops  of 
their  ears  as  well  as  in  the  lower  part.  Their  wealth  is 
largely  invested  in  animals.  A  man  owning  one  camel  is 
poor;  owning  ten,  he  is  well  off;  owning  sixty,  he  is  rich. 
The  bazaars  seem  crowded  with  goods  from  all  parts  of 
the  world.  Passing  along,  you  see  persons  weaving  silk 
and  linen,  moulding  gold,  silver,  and  brass,  and  convert- 
ing leather  into  many  shapes.  As  the  hour  of  prayer 
is  signalled  by  the  muezzin,  the  people  are  sure  to  re- 
member Allah.  The  fervor  of  the  Prophet's  disciples  is 
so  ardent  and  prevailing  that  it  is  said  that  if  you  cry 
"  Allah  "  under  storks  flying  about  the  Minar,  an  old 
minaret,  they  will  out  of  reverence  fall  to  the  earth. 

We  can  learn  but  little  of  the  women  as  we  meet 
them  on  the  street,  for  they  are  completely  hidden  by 


THE  TIGRIS.  26l 

flowing  garments  and  veils.  However,  they  manage  to 
exhibit  huge  rings  in  their  noses  and  bangles  about  their 
ankles.  Friday  is  their  Sabbath  and  marriage  day.  Their 
funerals  occur  usually  at  sunset.  Looking  into  the 
ordinary  home,  you  will  find  but  few  apartments.  The 
husband  sleeps  on  raised  brick-work;  but  the  wife,  or 
wives,  and  children  sleep  on  the  floor.  On  rising,  the 
husband  first  performs  his  devotions,  and  then  a  wife 
furnishes  him  with  his  chibouk  and  coffee.  While  he 
is  enjoying  these  by  himself,  his  wife  is  expected  to  be 
praying  for  his  success. 

If  there  was  a  famous  college  here  in  the  thirteenth 
century,  no  such  institution  is  to  be  found  at  present. 
However,  it  is  just  to  say  that  the  Roman  Catholics  are 
doing  a  good  work  in  the  way  of  education. 

Kasmain  is  a  suburb  of  Bagdad,  noted  for  its  tombs 
of  two  Imaums,  near  descendants  of  Mohammed.  This 
sacred  retreat  is  connected  with  the  city  by  a  tramway, 
to  accommodate  pilgrims  in  visiting  these  tombs.  The 
horse-railroad  seems  almost  out  of  place  in  this  city, 
which  is  more  oriental  than  Cairo  or  Damascus.  The 
Bagdadans  extol  the  city  as  magnificent,  and  the  chief 
of  cities ;  however,  they  cannot  refrain  from  crying  it 
down  during  the  months  of  July  and  August,  but  the  rest 
of  the  year  they  are  bound  to  overcome  this  drawback 
by  magnifying  its  charms.  Let  them  dote  upon  their 
long  line  of  caliphs,  and  especially  upon  that  one  de- 
scribed as  a  plane't  amid  a  galaxy  of  stars,  whose  palace 
floors  were  covered  with  twenty-two  thousand  rich  car- 
pets, and  whose  garden  was  adorned  with  a  golden  tree 
filled  with  artificial  birds  flying  among  its  branches. 


262  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

Four  hours'  ride  down  the  Tigris  on  a  steamer  brings 
you  to  the  ruins  of  Seleucia,  which  was  founded  soon 
after  the  downfall  of  Babylon  by  a  general  of  Alexander. 
It  was  made  out  of  brick,  and  peopled  by  captives  from 
that  city.  For  a  considerable  time  it  was  the  metropolis 
of  Mesopotamia.  At  length  the  Parthians  and  Persians 
builded  Ctesiphon,  a  rival  city  on  the  opposite  bank. 
Civil  strife  raged  between  these  cities.  Each  was  trying 
to  gain  the  ascendency  by  tearing  the  other  down.  In 
the  course  of  things  Ctesiphon  became  the  victor,  sack- 
ing Seleucia  of  her  immense  treasures.  Only  mounds 
of  dirt  mark  the  site  of  the  latter;  but  at  the  former 
heaps  of  brick,  walls  of  the  palace,  and  an  immense  arch 
of  brick  remain  to  designate  the  place  of  its  grandeur. 

The  embankments  of  the  river  are  high  in  this  part 
of  the  country,  so  that,  unless  it  be  flood-time,  which 
occurs  in  June  and  September,  passengers  have  but  little 
chance  to  overlook  the  wide  acres  of  most  fertile  soil. 
Frequent  glimpses  of  Bedouin  villages  are  seen,  where 
nomadic  tribes  are  watching  their  herds  and  flocks.  It  is 
too  bad  that  such  lands  should  remain  in  such  hands.  In 
the  course  of  two  or  three  days  you  will  pass  several 
villages  close  upon  the  river.  As  the  steamer  halts  at 
these  settlements,  all  the  men,  women,  and  children 
flock  to  the  landing.  These  are  motley  crowds,  not 
more  than  half  civilized.  Still,  they  seem  kindly  dis- 
posed to  strangers.  A  few  miles  before  arriving  at  the 
junction  of  the  great  rivers,  the  tomb  of  Ezra  is  seen 
upon  the  right  bank.  This  is  to  the  Israelites  a  sacred 
shrine.  It  is  made  out  of  brick,  with  a  blue  dome  and 
red  sides.  How  true  it  is  that  the  good  and  noble  are 


THE   ARABIAN   COAST.  263 

never  forgotten !  Though  this  whole  land  has  many 
natural  beauties  and  attractions,  though  the  ruins  of  its 
cities  are  stupendous  and  thrilling,  still  these  all  pall 
and  dim,  as  the  lives  of  prophets  and  holy  men  and 
women  rise  before  you,  who  wrought  here  sublimely  for 
God  and  the  progress  of  the  race.  It  is  not  strange  that 
the  Bible  speaks  of  the  Euphrates  and  the  Tigris  as  the 
Great  Rivers.  They  are  great  in  physical  results ;  they 
are  great  in  history.  Because  of  human  associations 
the  flowers  fringing  their  borders  are  particularly  sweet, 
the  palm-groves  are  beautiful,  and  the  over-arching  skies 
are  exceedingly  rich  in  sunshine,  distilling  dews,  and 
radiant  stars. 

When  it  is  winter  here,  the  thermometer  stands  at 
eighty,  ninety,  and  even  a  hundred  degrees  of  heat. 
Verily,  this  is  summer  enough  for  those  of  New  England 
birth.  The  Tigris  is  a  swifter  river  than  the  Euphrates, 
and  bears  as  much  water  to  the  gulf. 

A  few  missionary  lights  are  beginning  to  shine  in  this 
land.  Let  them  flame  out  and  onward,  dispelling  the 
long  night  of  ignorance  and  gloom  and  ushering  in  an 
unclouded  day  of  joy  and  wisdom. 

Again  we  are  steaming  through  the  Persian  Gulf  and 
round  the  coast  of  Arabia.  Care  is  required  not  to  run 
upon  coral  reefs.  The  polyps  have  been,  and  are,  busy 
bodies  in  these  waters.  At  Bahrein,  which  is  a  village 
upon  an  island  of  the  same  name,  are  seen  a  host  of 
men  who  follow  pearl-fishing  during  the  hottest  months, 
and  for  the  rest  of  the  year  are  idlers.  The  past  sea- 
son they  secured  pearls  to  the  value  of  a  million  and 
a  half  dollars.  Most  of  them  were  sold  to  merchants  in 


264  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

Bombay.     Though  the  pearl-seekers  secure   so  many 
treasures,  still  they  can  barely  live. 

Near  the  lower  part  of  the  gulf  the  coast  of  Arabia 
begins  to  be  abrupt ;  and  as  the  Arabian  Sea  is  entered 
the  land  surface  is  lifted  into  hills  and  mountains.  Ap- 
proaching the  city  of  Muscat,  the  traveller  can  but  mar- 
vel as  he  beholds  more  than  the  romance  of  the  Rhine 
or  the  weirdness  of  the  Scotch  Highlands.  The  rocks 
are  lifted  into  heights  from  a  few  feet  to  six  thousand, 
being  conical,  serrated,  twisted,  scoriated,  billowy,  and 
barren.  Not  a  tree  or  green  object  is  anywhere  to  be 
discovered.  Soon  the  steamer  turns  into  a  small  bay 
encircled  by  rocks  whose  sides  and  tops  present  forts 
and  frowning  guns.  The  oldest  of  these  forts  were 
constructed  by  the  Portuguese  two  hundred  years  ago. 
In  the  defile  of  the  rocks  a  few  houses  are  to  be  seen. 
But  where  is  the  city?  Going  on  shore  in  a  boat  resem- 
bling the  Venetian  gondola,  you  are  led  —  for  you  must 
be  led  —  through  the  custom-house,  post-office,  ship- 
ping buildings,  and  over  tortuous  paths  to  bazaars  and 
dwellings,  and  to  the  palace  of  the  Sheik.  Muscat  is 
a  city  of  forty  thousand  living  beings  dwelling  among 
the  rocks.  There  is  nowhere  to  be  seen  soil  enough 
to  bury  the  dead.  The  inhabitants  must  walk  or  ride 
over  stones  for  some  three  miles  before  they  can  find 
land  enough  for  a  garden.  The  natives  appear  wild, 
yet  they  are  hospitable.  Many  of  them  own  slaves 
brought  from  Zanzibar.  Muscat  is  the  capital  of  a 
district  about  the  size  of  England,  and  ruled  by  a  sheik 
who  would  not  be  able  to  hold  his  own  against  the 
Turks,  were  there  no  British  gunboats  floating  in  these 


THE  ARABIAN  COAST.  265 

waters.  It  is  a  mystery  how  a  people  can  be  content 
to  dwell  in  such  a  desolate  region.  None  but  Arabs 
would.  Somehow  they  delight  in  the  desert  and  waste 
places.  Muscat  is  the  city  among  the  rocks.  Its  foun- 
dations and  battlements  are  certain  to  endure  while  the 
earth  lasts. 

Still  rounding  the  Arabian  coast,  you  find  it  to  be 
rimmed  largely  with  hills  and  mountains  of  bare  rock. 
It  is  strange  that  the  Arab  should  love  and  cleave  to  a 
land  of  sand  within  and  rocks  without.  Before  entering 
the  straits  of  Bab-el-Mandeb  high  bluffs  and  mountains 
are  seen  rising  far  aloft.  These  are  masses  of  basalt  and 
quartzose  rock,  thrown  into  their  present  shape  by  vol- 
canic force.  The  name  of  the  straits  signifies  "  Gate  of 
tears,"  implying  that  many  lives  have  been  lost  in  these 
waters.  By  and  by  the  vessel  rounds  a  projection  and 
swings  into  the  port  of  Aden,  which  is  safe  and  commo- 
dious, fronted  with  another  formidable  mass  of  rock. 
The  city  of  twenty  thousand  inhabitants  is  five  miles 
back  from  the  coast,  but  among  the  stones. 

Aden  is  a  coaling-station  for  steamers,  affording  its 
chief  business.  Jews  are  also  here,  making  a  specialty 
of  selling  ostrich  feathers  to  voyagers.  They  are  as 
keen  here  as  everywhere  else,  seldom  losing  the  best 
of  the  bargain.  On  the  rocks  are  seen  barracks  where 
a  regiment  of  English  soldiers  are  quartered  to  defend 
the  straits.  It  is  intensely  hot  here,  and  most  difficult 
to  obtain  drinking  water.  The  soldiers  and  the  inhabi- 
tants who  are  obliged  to  dwell  in  the  midst  of  such 
heated  desolation  are  to  be  pitied.  The  natives,  tall 
and  but  partially  clad,  are  ready  to  take  the  advantage 
of  strangers  whenever  they  can. 


266  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

As  the  Red  Sea  is  entered,  the  query  arises,  Whence 
the  name?  The  first  answer  suggested  is  that  it  springs 
from  the  fact  of  its  red-hot  heat;  but  on  further  exami- 
nation it  is  found  to  be  derived  from  the  fact  of  its 
abounding  in  red  coral.  In  the  last  of  April  the  sun 
sends  down  melting  rays;  what  must  the  temperature 
be  in  August?  This  sea  is  long  and  narrow,  bounded 
by  sandy  plains  and  irregular,  distorted,  barren  hills 
and  mountains.  Birds  and  porpoises  abound  in  these 
waters. 

Midway  of  the  Arabian  coast  is  Jeddah,  another  city 
founded  on  the  rocks.  This  is  the  seaport  to  Mecca, 
and  also  traditionally  famous  as  being  the  burial-place 
of  Eve.  Adam  is  said  to  have  been  interred  in  Ceylon. 
If  the  reports  of  their  home  be  true,  it  would  not  seem 
strange  that  their  graves  should  be  so  far  apart.  In 
passing,  good  views  are  enjoyed  of  the  Sinai  Mountains, 
rising  five  and  eight  thousand  feet  above  the  sea,  com- 
posed of  basaltic  rock  and  destitute  of  vegetation. 
From  its  name  you  would  judge  that  in  olden  days 
emigrants  from  the  Euphrates,  who  worshipped  Sin, 
the  god  of  the  moon,  must  have  settled  here.  The 
associations  brooding  about  these  heights  will  be  as 
lasting  as  the  stones  themselves.  The  seacoast  all  the 
way  is  strangely  wild,  fenced  high  with  volcanic  hills 
and  naked  rocks,  as  though  just  thrown  from  a  fiery 
furnace.  Arabia  is  a  weird  country,  in  which  the  lion 
roars,  the  panther  cries,  the  jackal  barks,  the  ostrich 
runs,  the  gazelle  darts  about,  the  chameleon  changes  its 
color,  and  locusts  swarm.  It  appears  as  though  this 
land  was  never  intended  to  become  the  abode  of  man. 
But  the  legend  says,  "  God  gave  this  waste  of  sand  and 


THE   SUEZ   CANAL.  267 

stone  to  the  Arab ;  "  and  when  the  poor  man  com- 
plained of  his  lot,  the  Mighty  One  pitied  and  said, 
"  Be  of  good  cheer!"  The  Arab  heard,  gave  thanks, 
and  was  sent  forth  to  find  new  blessings.  In  the  heart 
of  the  waste  he  discovered  some  green  islands  on  which 
were  feeding  camels  and  horses  ;  and,  lo  !  these  were  his 
possessions,  and  he  was  perfectly  happy,  and  has  de- 
lighted in  the  country  ever  since. 

At  the  head  of  the  Gulf  of  Suez  is  a  city  of  the  same 
name,  composed  of  thousands  of  Arabs,  Turks,  French, 
Italians,  and  Germans.  It  is  a  city  remarkable  for  dirt 
and  cleanliness,  huts  and  comfortable  homes,  ignorance 
and  culture ;  in  summer  it  is  a  furnace  and  in  winter  an 
oven ;  still,  it  is  an  important  shipping-port. 

But  the  object  of  absorbing  interest  here  is  the  Suez 
Canal,  which  is  eighty-six  miles  long,  three  hundred  and 
twenty-seven  feet  wide  at  the  surface,  seventy-two  feet 
at  the  bottom,  and  twenty-eight  feet  deep.  Its  total  cost, 
when  first  opened,  was  $100,000,000.  Every  steamer 
passing  through  it  pays  one  dollar  and  a  half  on  every 
net  ton  and  two  dollars  on  every  passenger.  At  present 
the  tonnage  per  month  is  upwards  of  six  hundred  thou- 
sand, and  the  receipts  are  more  than  a  million  dollars. 
By  means  of  this  canal  five  thousand  miles  are  saved, 
in  making  a  trip  from  London  to  Bombay.  The  world 
is  greatly  indebted  to  M.  de  Lesseps,  who  planned  it 
and  was  instrumental,  in  spite  of  the  direst  opposition, 
in  constructing  it.  The  original  stock  was  divided  into 
four  hundred  shares  ;  one  hundred  and  seventy-six  were 
taken  by  Ismail  Pasha,  and  the  balance  by  the  French. 
At  present  the  English  control  the  shares  of  the  Pasha. 


268  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

There  are  traces  of  an  old  canal  running  somewhat  in 
the  same  direction  as  the  new  one,  built  by  Pharaoh 
Necho  and  the  Ptolemies,  and  called  the  "  Canal  of  the 
Kings,"  which,  filling  with  sand,  was  cleared  out  and 
restored  in  the  seventh  century  by  Caliph  Omar  as  the 
"  Canal  of  the  Faithful." 

This  isthmus  has  long  been  famous  ground ;  for  near 
it  Abraham  and  his  descendants  tended  their  flocks  and 
led  them  to  drink  of  the  waters  of  the  Nile.  While  the 
present  canal  was  being  constructed,  near  the  half-way 
station  a  monolith  of  red  granite  was  found,  cut  in  the 
form  of  an  armchair,  on  which  were  sitting  three  Egyp- 
tian figures  of  a  priestly  order.  As  its  hieroglyphics  have 
been  deciphered,  they  reveal  the  fact  that  the  figures 
represent  Rameses  II.  sitting  between  two  sun-gods, 
Ra  and  Turn.  These,  with  other  ruins  discovered, 
serve  to  substantiate  the  records  of  Moses.  This  is 
the  land  in  which  the  descendants  of  Abraham  dwelt 
for  four  hundred  and  fifty  years ;  the  last  two  hundred 
years  they  were  made  menial  slaves  by  the  Pharaohs. 
In  the  northeastern  part  of  Egypt  was  Goshen.  Here 
were  the  cities  of  Rameses  and  Pithon,  whence  Moses 
started,  with  perhaps  two  million  Israelites,  for  the 
fatherland. 

.  Coming  to  the  lower  part  of  the  Nile,  we  find  it  an  ex- 
tended plain,  intercepted  only  by  dunes,  or  mud  deposits 
of  the  river.  Because  of  the  damming  up  of  the  water, 
the  delta  is  formed,  dividing  the  river  into  many  streams 
some  eighty  miles  from  the  Mediterranean  Sea.  One 
cannot  be  long  in  this  region  without  coming  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  Nile  is  the  mother  of  Egypt.  In 


CARAVAN    CROSSING    THE    ARABIAN    DESERT. 


THE  NILE.  269 

studying  geography  the  learner  is  usually  led  to  infer 
that  this  country  is  about  the  size  of  Russia  in  Europe. 
But  the  truth  is,  Egypt  proper  is  about  five  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  long,  and  from  five  to  twelve  miles  wide, 
lying  close  upon  the  Nile,  having  an  area  about  the  size 
of  Maryland.  All  the  rest  of  the  country  is  desert. 
For  the  ages  it  has  been  a  struggle  between  the  river 
and  the  desert,  to  see  which  should  bear  off  the  palm. 
The  one  signifies  life,  and  the  other  death.  The  Nile 
has  held  its  own.  At  the  point  where  the  delta  begins 
to  form,  the  river  is  half  a  mile  wide.  It  is  the  longest 
and  most  mysterious  river  of  the  globe.  For  the  last 
eighteen  hundred  miles  it  falls  only  seven  inches  to  the 
mile.  The  first  of  June,  and  at  very  nearly  the  same 
hour,  it  begins  to  rise,  and  continues  till  into  Septem- 
ber, when,  usually  on  the  same  day  of  the  month,  it 
begins  to  fall.  At  high  water  all  the  arable  land  is 
under  the  flood,  which  is  twenty-five  feet  deep  a  hundred 
miles  from  the  sea.  While  the  water  is  withdrawing  from 
the  land,  the  first  crop  is  sown  without  ploughing.  The 
seed  is  virtually  cast  upon  the  water.  They  plough  for 
the  second  sowing,  and  also  for  the  third.  Three  crops 
are  raised  yearly.  For  the  second  and  third  planting 
the  soil  requires  to  be  watered.  This  necessitates  work, 
whether  it  is  done  by  the  ox  turning  the  windlass,  or  by 
man  operating  the  shadoof,  or  by  two  coolies  scooping 
up  the  water  with  the  swinging  basket.  The  soil  is 
exceedingly  prolific.  Though  the  annual  deposit  is 
slight,  making  only  three  and  a  half  inches  in  a  century, 
it  is  sufficient  to  keep  the  land  rich.  The  banks  of  the 
river  are  likely  to  be  green  and  beautiful  during  low 


270  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

water.  The  country  produces  enough  to  support  its 
seven  millions  of  people.  Long  has  it  been  a  country 
of  corn.  Six  hundred  years  before  Christ  there  were 
twenty-two  thousand  cities  along  the  banks  of  the  Nile, 
and  the  country  produced  enough  to  support  them,  hav- 
ing corn  to  spare.  Why  should  we  wonder  that  this 
river  has  been  worshipped  as  a  god  ? 

Going  up  the  river,  and  a  few  miles  back  from  it  on 
the  east,  we  arrive  at  Heliopolis,  which  was  On  in  the 
reign  of  the  Pharaohs.  This  was  the  Oxford  of  Egypt. 
Here  Moses  was  educated;  here  Eudoxus  and  Plato 
remained  for  thirteen  years  as  students;  here  Joseph 
married  his  beloved  Asenath;  here  Jeremiah  wrote 
his  Lamentations ;  and  tradition  says'  that  Mary  and 
Joseph  with  the  child  Jesus  were  here  for  a  short  time. 
Once  numerous  statues  and  monuments  graced  the  city ; 
but  now  its  sole  relic  is  an  obelisk  of  red  porphyry, 
sixty-seven  feet  high,  inscribed  with  the  name  of  Oser- 
tisen  I.,  the  great  king  of  the  XII.  Dynasty. 

Six  miles  to  the  south  is  Cairo.  Stand  on  its  citadel 
and  look  upon  the  city.  You  are  reminded  of  a  Gothic 
temple  having  thousands  of  turrets  rising  above  it.  On 
the  east  side  the  barren  hills  hug  close  the  walls,  while 
on  the  west  and  beyond  its  limits  are  greenest  fields, 
and  farther  on  the  desolate  Libyan  Mountains.  Its 
four  hundred  and  fifty  mosques  are  conspicuous,  over- 
topped with  more  than  two  thousand  minarets.  The 
most  b.eautiful  mosque  is  Sultan  Hassan,  costing  three 
thousand  dollars  a  day  for  three  years  to  build  it. 
Tradition  reports  that  the  Sultan  caused  the  architect's 
hands  to  be  cut  off,  to  keep  the  edifice  unique.  It 


THE    HEAD    OF    RAMESES    II. 


THE  NILE.  271 

was  on  this  citadel  that  Mehemet  AH  gained  his  signal 
victory  over  the  Mamelukes.  The  elegant  alabaster 
mosque  on  its  crown  was  built  in  honor  of  that  triumph. 
The  city  is  thoroughly  Oriental  and  Moslem.  On  the 
streets  the  donkeys  are  dodging  about  like  bees  in  front 
of  a  hive  just  before  swarming.  Really  they  are  the  feet 
and  the  hack  of  the  Cairenes.  Caravans  of  camels  go 
swinging  along,  like  ships  just  sailing  into  harbor  from 
the  great  desert.  A  multitude  of  dusky  faces  are  in 
the  thoroughfares  from  sunrise  to  sunset,  and  among 
them  are  sure  to  be  beggars  ad  infinitum.  As  you 
inspect  these  creatures,  you  conclude  that  they  are 
grown,  not  made. 

Of  all  places  of  resort  in  this  city  of  half  a  million 
souls  there  is  no  other  so  attractive  to  one  seeking 
knowledge,  as  the  Boulak  Museum,  which  is  the  most 
valuable  treasury  of  antiquities  in  the  world.  Here  we 
find  many  busts  of  kings,  mummies  of  heroes,  coffins, 
sarcophagi,  papyri,  vases,  jewels,  bracelets  of  gold  and 
pearls.  Here  is  a  statue  of  Cephrene,  purporting  to 
have  been  made  nearly  six  thousand  years  ago.  In 
one  room  are  the  mummy  of  Seti  I.,  whose  daughter 
saved  the  child  Moses  as  he  was  set  afloat  upon  the 
Nile ;  the  mummy  of  Rameses  II.,  who  proved  himself 
the  greatest  Pharaoh  of  all ;  and  that  of  his  son  Me- 
nephtah,  who  was  the  Pharaoh  at  the  time  of  the  Exo- 
dus. Here  is  the  Stone  of  Three  Inscriptions,  which 
has  proved  the  key  to  the  hieroglyphics.  Here,  also, 
are  two  statues  of  Apepi,  the  Pharaoh  of  Joseph's  time. 
This  museum  is  the  work  largely  of  M.  Merriette,  M. 
Maspero,  and  M.  Naville.  In  another  department  are 


2/2  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

the  five  hundred  skulls  collected  to  illustrate  the  eth- 
nology of  Egypt. 

This  is  a  religious  city ;  however,  no  bells  signify  the 
hours  of  worship,  but  muezzins  from  the  minarets  send 
out  calls  to  prayers  five  times  each  day.  The  present 
Khedive  has  but  one  wife,  and  she  delights  in  her  home 
and  husband.  But  such  homes  are  few  in  this  city  of 
the  grandest  bazaars,  of  funniest  scenes  and  most  bar- 
barous deeds.  A  kind  of  romance  hangs  about  the  city. 
The  air  is  tinged  with  a  peculiar  color,  being  gray  rather 
than  blue ;  however,  the  day  is  usually  ushered  in  with 
brightness,  and  departs  in  splendor.  Evidently  great 
changes  are  to  come  to  this  city  of  marvellous  story 
through  the  soldier  on  duty,  the  missionary  portray- 
ing the  love  for  the  Gospel,  and  the  dramatic  pictures 
of  the  long  past.  Let  Vernet  paint  the  real  things  of 
the  citadel  and  hang  them  in  the  Louvre ;  let  the  travel- 
ler still  come  hither  and  gather  up  facts  of  the  new  and 
the  old,  to  enlarge  and  ennoble  character. 

Twelve  miles  up  the  river  and  across  to  the  westerly 
side  are  the  pyramids  of  Gizeh.  Sand  is  piled  around 
them.  They  are  built  out  of  stone  quarried  from  the 
ledges  on  which  they  stand  and  from  syenite  brought 
from  far  up  the  Nile.  Cheops,  the  largest  one,  covers 
over  thirteen  acres  of  ground.  Its  sides  correspond 
with  the  points  of  the  compass,  and  measure  just  as 
many  cubits  on  each  side  as  there  are  days  and  parts 
of  a  day  in  a  year.  The  mortuary  cellar,  Queen's  Cham- 
ber, and  King's  Chamber  are  sufficient  to  prove  that 
this  pyramid  was  built  for  a  tomb.  Its  altitude,  which 
was  five  hundred  feet,  bears  the  same  relation  to  the 


THE  NILE.  273 

perimeter  of  the  base  that  the  radius  of  the  circle  does 
to  its  circumference. 

The  Sphinx,  which  is  near  by,  is  another  prodigy,  cut 
out  of  the  native  rock,  one  hundred  and  forty-three  feet 
long  and  sixty-three  feet  high,  having  the  body  of  a 
lion  and  the  head  of  a  man.  It  is  indeed  a  symbol  of 
strength.  The  altar  in  front  of  it,  and  the  temples  close 
at  hand  give  it  a  religious  significance.  The  under- 
lying thought  of  these  huge  works  is  religious.  Men 
built  thus  grandly  with  the  view  of  living  forever.  A 
Pharaoh,  as  soon  as  he  began  to  rule,  given  to  retire- 
ment and  meditation,  began  to  build  his  temple  and 
tomb  so  that  they  would  last.  He  believed  that  if  his 
body  should  not  be  preserved  after  death  there  would 
be  no  possibility  of  his  spirit  living  again;  therefore 
can  you  marvel  that  he  should  build  his  sepulchre  in 
the  solid  rock?  He  believed  that  after  five  or  fifty  thou- 
sand years  of  transmigration  his  soul  would  return  to 
the  body,  if  the  latter  were  preserved.  This  renders  it 
easy  to  see  how  Cheops  could  summon  to  his  service 
a  hundred  thousand  men,  and  hold  them  for  twenty 
years  splitting,  hewing,  and  piling  stones  into  a  pyra- 
mid that  should  commemorate  his  life  and  faith. 

Within  a  range  of  twenty  miles  there  are  seventy- 
two  pyramids.  All  are  on  the  west  side  of  the  Nile. 
But  the  Egyptians  preferred  to  dwell  on  the  east  side, 
that,  when  they  should  die,  their  bodies  might  be  ferried 
across  the  Nilus  by  Anubis,  their  god  of  souls,  that  they 
might  at  once  have  pleasant  experiences  in  the  silent 
land. 

For  eleven  miles  to  the  south,  was  once  a  beautiful 

18 


274  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

street  bordered  with  sphinxes.  On  the  west  side  was  the 
artificial  Acherusian  Lake ;  beyond  this  was  the  Mem- 
phian  Necropolis,  where  mortals  descended  to  Amenthes. 
All  of  these  at  present  are  buried  out  of  sight  by  Libyan 
sand.  At  the  terminus  of  this  splendid  highway  stood 
the  city  of  Memphis,  and  around  it  within  its  walls,  as 
guards,  stood  eleven  pyramids.  These  are  in  sight  to- 
day. The  chief  and  the  oldest,  it  is  believed,  of  all  the 
pyramids  is  the  Pyramid  of  Steps,  built  by  Chochome 
Side  for  a  tomb  to  the  god  Ti.  It  covers  over  eight  acres 
of  surface.  Sand  is  piled  high  about  the  pyramids  here, 
as  well  as  at  Gizeh.  An  avenue  has  been  opened  up 
not  far  from  the  Step-pyramid,  leading  down  under 
the  sand  into  the  Temple  of  Ti.  Here  are  seen  chapels 
made  of  whitest  stones  and  carved  with  exquisite  skill, 
exhibiting  land  and  sea,  —  figures  of  men,  women, 
beasts,  birds,  ships,  and  fruit.  Portions  of  it  are  very 
ancient,  while  other  parts  bear  marks  of  the  Grecian 
chisel.  Beyond  and  below  this  we  come  to  the  Sera- 
peum.  Here  we  find  ourselves  in  a  broad  passage 
walled  and  arched  with  huge  stones ;  still  farther  on 
and  lower,  we  are  in  the  Apeum ;  here  is  the  Temple 
of  the  Apis,  where  he  was  tenderly  guarded  and  fondly 
adored  as  the  true  symbol  of  Osiris ;  still  proceeding, 
we  soon  come  to  vast  sarcophagi  of  red  and  black  gran- 
ite in  deep  vaults  on  either  side  of  the  passage.  As  we 
are  going  round  and  round,  we  count  twenty-four  out  of 
the  seventy- two  discovered  by  M.  Merriette.  There  is 
enough  to  be  seen  here,  to  show  that  Memphis  was  a 
gorgeous  city  long  before  Rome  or  Athens  had  a  being. 
In  its  palmiest  days  it  was  the  home  of  regal  assemblies 


THE  NILE.  275 

and  the  seat  of  science  and  philosophy.  Here  Cam- 
byses  received  glittering  embassies  that  came  from  old 
Babylon.  Moses  no  doubt  walked  its  streets  and  won- 
dered at  its  magnificent  works.  Hither  Alexander  came 
and  traversed  its  Apeum,  and  then  admiring  floated 
down  the  Nile  in  his  golden  galley.  Even  as  late  as  the 
Ptolemies  it  was  an  imposing  city,  ranking  only  second 
to  Alexandria. 

We  have  advanced  more  than  four  hundred  miles 
up  the  Nile  by  rail  and  boat.  Out  of  the  south  is 
wafted  a  halcyon  day.  The  sky  flashes  out  beauties 
like  precious  stones.  The  very  atmosphere  comes 
laden  with  sweetness  from  Araby  and  Nubian  plains. 
Birds  sing,  it  would  seem,  for  the  whole  earth.  A 
fairer  land  and  sky  could  scarcely  be  imagined.  Right 
here  in  the  midst  of  these  richest  gifts  of  Nature  once 
stood  the  Hundred-gated  Thebes ;  yes,  it  was  the  cen- 
tral setting  in  the  largest  and  richest  plain  of  Egypt. 

The  Pharaohs  had  done  their  great  work  at  On, 
Gizeh,  and  Memphis ;  the  Shepherd  Kings  had  ruled 
the  land,  doing  their  best  and  worst;  the  glory  of  a 
wonderful  civilization  was  fast  dying  out  from  the 
banks  of  the  Nile.  As  gloom  was  settling  over  Lower 
Egypt,  a  call  came  from  Upper  Egypt,  bidding  hearts 
revive  and  build  anew  where  summer  is  sure  to  reign, 
where  the  soil  is  rich  and  the  stone  is  enduring.  So 
hither  came  a  people,  kingly  and  priestly,  believing  in 
gods  visible  and  invisible.  Osiris,  Isis,  and  Horus 
they  adored,  worshipping  as  their  symbols  the  apis, 
the  ibis,  and  the  hawk.  They  believed  that  while  they 
were  in  this  world  they  must  prepare  for  death,  —  that 


2/6  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

they  must  build  their  own  tombs  in  order  to  preserve 
the  flesh  while  their  spirits  might  be  voyaging  through 
beasts  and  birds  and  silent  abodes.  With  them  the 
flesh  was  first. 

To  this  spot  came  such  a  people,  and  did  patient  and 
persistent  work.  They  aimed  to  take  advantage  of  the 
fortunes  and  mishaps  of  the  past.  The  Nile  was  already 
fringed  from  the  Delta  for  six  hundred  miles  with  noblest 
structures  and  grandest  ruins.  Here  they  resolved  to 
build  so  as  to  surpass  them  all.  Here  the  king  com- 
manded his  subjects  to  dig,  quarry,  shape,  and  pile  up. 
For  centuries  they  wrought.  Kings  died  and  kings 
were  born,  and  the  building  went  on,  until  what  is  now 
Luxor,  Karnak,  and  Thebes  were  one,  constituting  the 
proudest  city  that  had  ever  graced  the  Nile.  It  was 
from  Ahmes  I.  to  Rameses  II.  in  reaching  its  zenith,  or 
from  2400  to  1400  B.  c.  When  Rameses  II.  pronounced 
it  complete,  what  a  city  of  temples,  palaces,  columns, 
pillars,  statues,  and  sphinxes  it  was !  The  ruins  are 
verily  sublime !  The  perfect  work,  how  magnificent  it 
must  have  been ! 

The  city  was  thirty-six  miles  in  circuit.  The  houses 
are  all  gone,  but  temples  and  tombs  are  to  an  extent 
preserved.  The  city  was  divided  by  the  Nile.  Palaces 
and  temples  fronted  one  another  on  elevations.  Tombs 
were  dug  deep  into  the  solid  rock;  and  as  they  are 
opened  up,  their  carvings  and  paintings  in  many  in- 
stances are  as  fresh  as  though  done  but  yesterday. 
The  Colossi;  the  Rameseum,  with  its  tremendous 
statue  of  Rameses  II.;  the  temple  at  Karnak,  which 
requires  an  hour  to  walk  about  it,  with  its  hall  three 


THE  KILE.  277 

hundred  feet  long  and  two  hundred  wide,  supported 
by  a  hundred  and  thirty-four  pillars,  from  forty  to  sixty 
feet  high  and  from  nine  to  twelve  feet  in  diameter,  — 
were  stupendous  works.  Days  and  weeks  are  required 
to  see  these  ruins.  For  the  most  part  stillness  broods 
over  them.  A  few  human  beings  are  crawling  among 
them,  or  sleeping  in  the  dirt,  who  are  little  more  in 
thought  or  act  than  the  donkeys  they  ride  or  the 
goats  they  milk.  The  fellahs  who  cultivate  the  soil 
and  live  in  the  villages  are  of  a  higher  type ;  they  are 
evidently  descendants  from  the  Semites.  But  the 
former  life  of  Thebes  is  gone;  it  is  being  fast  buried 
in  dust.  We  know  it  was  grand,  on  a  grand  site, 
and  surrounded  by  a  grand  country.  It  is  now  grand 
in  ruins. 

Alexandria,  founded  332  B.  C.,  became  a  famous  city 
in  the  course  of  a  hundred  years.  It  stood  on  the 
ground  which  the  legend  says  fickle  Proteus  claimed 
as  his  abode.  On  the  sandy  shore,  it  is  said,  he  was 
wont  to  be  consulted,  as  he  ruled  over  sea-monsters; 
and  when  consulted,  he  was  certain  to  evade  giving 
definite  answers  by  suddenly  changing  into  a  tiger  or 
a  lion,  or  disappearing  in  a  flame  of  fire  or  a  whirlwind 
or  a  destructive  storm.  To  say  the  least,  it  has  been 
a  precarious  city.  The  modern  is  quite  unlike  the 
ancient.  The  street-scenes  almost  every  day  are  novel 
and  exciting.  Just  take  an  outing  of  half  an  hour  on 
the  central  avenue.  Those  high-capped  and  black- 
coated  men  whom  you  see,  are  Copts ;  those  mounted 
on  horses  and  in  uniform  are  Turkish  officials;  that 
red-eyed  chap,  dressed  in  white  and  skipping  about 


278  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

like  a  cricket,  is  an  Albanian;  those  young  fellows 
bobbing  up  and  down  on  those  diminutive  donkeys  are 
midshipmen  fresh  from  England ;  those  fellows  with  big 
lips  and  crisp  hair  are  Nubians;  then  you  discover 
French  dandies,  Italian  beauties,  Hindu  wonders,  Be- 
douins from  the  Jordan,  brigands  from  Spain,  women  in 
trousers,  men  in  petticoats.  Ah  !  it  is  a  mongrel  popula- 
tion. Who  ever  saw  the  like  elsewhere?  One  moment 
you  might  feel  yourself  to  be  in  Paradise,  and  the  next  in 
Pandemonium.  It  has  a  population  of  more  than  three 
hundred  thousand.  Its  prosperity  has  depended  largely 
upon  the  fact  that  it  is  the  half-way  post  between  Lon- 
don and  Calcutta. 

In  the  new  city  there  is  but  little  to  be  discovered  of 
the  old.  Pompey's  Pillar  and  the  Catacombs  are  about 
all.  These  are  sufficient,  however,  to  give  evidence  that 
a  grand  city  once  existed  here.  It  must  have  been 
such  when  the  lighthouse  of  Pharos  towered  five  hun- 
dred feet,  and  the  artificial  lake  Mareotis  was  brimful 
of  the  Nile  water,  and  the  spacious  main  street  ex- 
tended from  Pharos  to  Mareotis.  In  the  centre  of  this 
street  stood  the  museum  founded  by  Ptolemy  Philadel- 
phus.  Here  it  was  that  thirty  thousand  students  were 
wont  to  assemble  to  listen  to  the  lectures  of  Origen, 
Athenasius,  Euclid,  and  Hypatia.  Here  Philo  at  the 
head  of  seventy-two  wise  Jews  translated  the  Old  Testa- 
ment from  Hebrew  to  Greek,  giving  the  world  the 
Septuagint  edition.  It  is  said  the  translators  were  shut 
up  by  pairs  in  cells,  each  pair  required  to  translate  the 
whole ;  and  when  comparison  came  to  be  made,  it  was 
surprising  to  find  how  few  the  discrepancies  were. 


THE  NILE.  279 

Here,  too,  was  that  wondrous  library  having  four  hun- 
dred thousand  volumes  in  the  museum  and  three  hun- 
dred thousand  volumes  in  the  library  of  the  Serapean 
Temple.  The  former  was  destroyed  when  Julius  Caesar 
set  fire  to  Alexandria  47  B.  C.  The  latter  having  been 
increased  by  the  successors  of  Ptolemy  Philadelphus 
to  the  number  of  seven  thousand  manuscripts,  it  was 
destroyed  by  the  Saracens,  who  heated  their  baths 
for  six  months  by  burning  the  books,  according  to 
the  command  of  Caliph  Omar,  642  A.  D. 

Egypt  is  a  remarkable  country,  look  at  it  and  study 
it  as  you  will.  Its  history  is  far-reaching.  Its  original 
stock,  it  would  seem,  from  some  recent  discoveries  and 
early  names,  must  have  come  from  Chaldea,  or  the 
north.  Under  the  Pharaohs  for  twenty-six  dynasties 
it  prospered,  and  then  was  overcome  by  the  Persians 
in  1525  B.  C.  and  was  held  by  them  till  525  B.  C.  From 
323  B.  C.  to  30  B.  C.  it  was  ruled  by  the  Ptolemies. 
From  30  B.  C.  to  A.  D.  362  it  was  under  the  Romans. 
In  A.  D.  640  it  was  captured  by  Omar  I. ;  it  remained 
in  the  hands  of  the  Arabs  until  conquered  by  the  Turks 
in  1517,  and  is  still  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  latter. 
Its  hieroglyphics  and  cuneiform  tablets  are  revealing 
most  interesting  facts  of  its  marvellous  history  and 
grand  past.  Its  ancient  industries  and  recreations  are 
represented  in  sculptures  and  paintings  on  the  walls 
of  the  tombs.  But  the  pyramids  of  Gizeh  and  Sakara, 
the  splendid  cities  Memphis,  Rameses,  and  Heliopolis, 
the  tombs  of  Beni-hassan  and  the  Hundred-gated  City, 
the  temples  of  Karnak,  Edfau,  and  Assouan,  and  vastly 
more,  are  all,  as  well  as  the  rich  lands  of  Egypt,  the 


280  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

gifts  of  the  Nile.  So  with  great  force  it  may  be  desig- 
nated the  mother  of  this  land,  —  yea,  the  mother  of  the 
highest  ancient  civilization  whose  course  has  been  west- 
ward. As  its  bright  fortunes  rose  on  the  banks  of  the 
Nile,  would  it  not  seem  that  its  setting  glory  is  to  be  on 
the  borders  of  the  Mississippi?  Surely,  civilization  has 
been  marching  westward.  It  advanced  from  the  Nile  to 
Palestine,  to  Greece,  over  the  Alps,  through  Gaul  to 
England,  and,  finally,  across  the  Atlantic  to  America. 
The  accumulated  light  and  increasing  knowledge  of  the 
centuries  ought  to  produce  here  the  highest  type  of 
civilization.  These  forces  will  give  us  noblest  results 
if  Americans  are  only  true  to  their  opportunities. 


GETPISEMANE    AND    MOUNT    OF    OLIVES,    AND    ROADS    TO    BETHANY. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

PALESTINE. 

AFTER  listening  for  weeks  to  the  silence  of  the 
desert  and  the  rippling  of  the  Nile  as  its  waves 
wash  the  shore  or  the  steamer  cuts  its  waters,  it  seems 
refreshing  to  hear  once  more  the  moan  and  the  roar 
of  the  sea,  —  yes,  the  sea  of  romance  and  thrilling  story. 
Of  its  marvels  Homer  sung ;  near  its  shores  stood  Tyre, 
Sidon,  Alexandria,  and  Carthage.  Over  its  surface 
sailed  Ulysses,  and  the  heroes  who  rolled  the  wooden 
horse  into  old  Troy.  It  was  the  sea  of  Darius  and 
Saint  Paul  and  brave  knights  and  noble  adventurers. 
Across  its  calm  waters  Syrians  and  Hellenes  sent 
sweetest  music. 

Having  sailed  for  half  a  day  and  a  night  from  Alex- 
andria, as  the  dawn  comes,  the  orient  is  aglow  with 
richest  dyes  and  captivating  loveliness.  All  at  once 
anchors  are  dropped,  and  behold !  we  are  in  the  road- 
stead of  Joppa.  Half  a  mile  off  is  the  city  on  a  hill,  so 
renowned  for  notable  deeds.  Somehow  goodness  never 
grows  old ;  so  Joppa  still  attracts.  It  was  here  Simon 
the  tanner  dwelt,  and  Tabitha  "  did  what  she  could," 
and  Peter  had  his  wondrous  vision  and  mysteriously 
called  Dorcas  from  the  silent  land. 

Going  on  shore  and  mingling  with  the  Semitic  peo- 
ple, we  are  immediately  made  conscious  that  woman  is 


282  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

degraded.  Her  pitch  of  voice  is  on  a  minor  key;  and  if 
married,  she  is  required  on  the  street  to  keep  her  face 
veiled.  Lepers  are  here  as  of  old,  praying  to  be  healed. 
The  sunny  side  of  this  city  is  beheld,  as  visits  are  made 
to  Miss  Arnott's  school  of  a  hundred  native  girls,  to 
the  Boys'  School  of  Mrs.  Hays,  and  to  Miss  Baldwin's 
Hospital,  where  thousands  of  the  sick  are  yearly  blessed. 
In  these  latter  days  as  surely  as  in  the  ancient,  a  divine 
brooding  appears  to  be  over  this  quaint  city. 

But  we  are  soon  away,  and  over  the  country  to  Jerusa- 
lem. We  have  looked  upon  this  land  in  autumn  and 
spring.  How  striking  the  contrast  of  the  two  seasons  ! 
The  one  thrills  with  life,  and  the  other  chills  with  death. 
Now  the  air  is  perfumed  with  odors  from  orchards  and 
gardens  and  flowers  sown  copiously  over  the  plain  of 
Sharon.  Larks  are  singing  and  sparrows  twittering  in 
bush  and  tree-top.  The  plain  of  Sharon  is  long  and 
wide.  Ramleh  is  reached,  which  is  reported  to  have 
been  Arimathea,  the  abiding-place  of  Joseph,  in  whose 
tomb  at  Jerusalem  the  body  of  our  Saviour  was  laid. 
There  is  naught  visible  now  to  tell  of  the  past  but  the 
ruins  of  a  Saracenic  tower  and  massive  vaults  which 
were  destroyed  in  the  time  of  the  Crusades.  A  de- 
tour of  five  miles  to  the  north  brings  us  into  the  village 
of  Lydda,  or  the  site  of  ancient  Lud.  Here  two  women 
are  grinding  at  the  mill,  as  in  former  times.  Probably 
they  have  not  seen  more  than  thirty  summers,  yet  they 
look  old  enough  to  be  sisters  of  Methuselah.  Here  are 
the  ruins  of  the  Church  of  St.  George,  the  patron  saint 
of  England. 

Returning  to  Ramleh,  on  we  push  across  the  plain 


PALESTINE.  283 

and  at  length  to  the  foot  of  the  mountains.  Now  the 
carriage-road  is  up  and  over  rocky  spurs  and  into 
stony  wadies.  The  rose  of  Sharon  is  often  seen  and 
plucked  by  the  way.  Every  crest  and  nook  where  there 
is  any  soil,  is  starred  with  flowers.  Just  over  a  summit 
stands  a  little  village,  with  the  least  imaginable  attraction 
till  tradition  reveals  Emmaus.  A  halo  of  light  seems 
to  fall  upon  it  at  once,  and  all  Nature  appears  to  repeat 
the  refrain,  "  Abide  with  us,  for  the  day  is  far  spent." 
As  the  heights  are  gained,  the  mountain-tops  are  be* 
yond  counting.  It  would  be  difficult  on  map  or  canvas 
to  display  all  the  elevations  and  depressions.  The  pre- 
vailing rock  is  lime,  and  as  it  becomes  pulverized  by 
heat  and  cold  and  gas,  it  makes  just  the  soil  to  grow 
corn  and  flowers.  As  the  sun  is  declining,  of  a  sud- 
den we  turn  to  the  eastward,  and  lo !  there  stands  mod- 
ern Jerusalem,  marking  the  spot  of  ancient  Jerusalem. 
Entranced  the  emotions  seem  to  be,  as  the  slanting 
sunlight  glints  lofty  walls,  battlements,  domes,  and 
minarets.  The  view  is  glorious !  How  enraptured 
must  have  been  the  hearts  of  those  who  looked  from 
this  point  upon  the  city  of  Solomon !  That  city  was 
more  than  Athens,  or  Rome,  or  Thebes  with  its  hundred 
gates,  or  Babylon  with  its  -  Babel-tower.  It  is  surprising 
that  a  city  should  have  stood  so  far  inland  on  mountains, 
and  surrounded  by  higher  mountains,  which  should  have 
had  such  an  influence,  religiously  and  politically,  in 
shaping  and  deciding  the  destinies  of  nations  and  races. 
Ah !  this  is  the  spot  where  Abraham  bowed  in  per- 
fect submission;  where  David  chanted  sweetest  lays; 
where  Christ  uttered  that  sublimest  prayer,  "  Father, 


284  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do ;  "  and 
where  he  rose  from  the  dead,  bringing  life  and  immor- 
tality to  light.  Why,  this  is  enough  to  render  the  very 
dust  of  that  city  forever  memorable,  —  yea,  "  the  very 
joy  of  the  whole  earth  "  ! 

But  the  spell  is  broken  as  the  glow  of  the  sun  is  with- 
drawn from  tower  and  minaret,  and  we  hasten  down  and 
into  the  city  before  the  stars  shine  out. 

The  distance  traversed  to-day  has  been  thirty-five 
miles. 

The  modern  city  is  surrounded  by  walls  two  and  one 
fourth  English  miles  in  extent  and  from  thirty  to  fifty 
feet  high.  It  is  situated  some  twenty-three  hundred 
feet  above  the  sea.  Its  latitude  corresponds  to  that 
of  Charleston,  S.  C.  It  has  always  been  regarded  as 
having  a  healthy  and  beautiful  location.  It  stands  on 
the  debris  of  some  twenty  other  cities ;  so  to  get  at  the 
original  site,  it  would  be  necessary  to  go  down  twenty, 
thirty,  sixty,  and  even  a  hundred  feet. 

The  city  now  is  said  to  have  more  than  forty-five  thou- 
sand inhabitants.  More  than  half  of  these  are  Jews,  and 
the  rest  are  Greeks,  Italians,  Arabs,  Turks,  Copts,  Arme- 
nians, and  Protestants.  The  city  has  more  than  doubled 
its  population  within  the  last  twenty  years.  In  1870 
there  were  but  a  few  buildings  without  the  walls,  now 
nearly  half  of  the  people  live  outside  of  them.  The  re- 
ligiousness of  the  city  is  what  draws.  It  is  divided  into 
four  quarters  as  of  old,  but  not  separated  as  the  ancient 
was  by  walls.  Mount  Zion  is  the  highest  quarter.  Per- 
haps no  other  word  has  animated  and  saddened  so 
many  hearts  as  that  of  "  Zion."  The  Jew  loves  it; 


PALESTINE.  285 

the  Christian  cherishes  it ;  even  the  world  finds  in  it  the 
sweetest  euphony.  It  is  expressive  of  the  highest  joys 
and  deepest  sorrows.  "  Zion  !  "  —  who  can  fathom  its  full 
significance?  We  have  walked  round  and  over  Mount 
Zion.  It  certainly  is  full  of  enchantment.  Valleys  en- 
compass it,  and  hills  cluster  close  to  it.  Its  outlook  to 
the  east  is  upon  Olivet,  towering  two  hundred  and 
twenty  feet  above  it.  Hither  came  David,  and  builded  a 
Splendid  palace  and  made  a  grand  abiding-place  for  the 
Ark.  Because  of  this,  Mount  Zion  became  very  dear  to 
Israel,  and  the  Psalmist  was  inspired  to  sing  "  Mount  Zion 
is  the  joy  of  the  whole  earth  !  "  Here  his  tomb  was  cut 
into  the  solid  rock;  and  as  his  spirit  ascended,  his  body 
was  laid  therein.  The  history  of  Mount  Zion  is  more 
than  drama ;  it  is  truly  tragedy.  When  in  its  complete 
state,  why  should  it  not  remain  so?  It  was  captured  by 
the  King  of  Egypt ;  a  second  time  it  was  taken  by  the 
Philistines ;  a  third  time  it  was  demolished  by  Joash ;  a 
fourth  time  by  the  Assyrians ;  a  fifth  and  sixth  time  by 
Nebuchadnezzar;  so  it  was  destroyed  and  restored,  till 
in  Herod's  day,  when  it  was  thought  to  be  too  strong  to 
be  thrown  down ;  but  the  Roman  legions  came  upon  it, 
and  it  fell.  Where  the  towers  stood  and  the  palaces  re- 
flected beauty,  the  Arab  rides  his  steed  and  the  Bedouin 
Watches  for  his  prey. 

But  Mount  Zion  is  not  forgotten.  Eighteen  hundred 
years  have  elapsed  since  Jerusalem's  terrible  overthrow, 
yet  it  now  appears  as  though  the  time  is  not  far  off 
when  it  will  be  restored.  The  Jews  are  flocking  to  it 
and  kissing  its  very  stones,  as  a  promise  that  it  is  to  rise 
in  glory  again.  Here  they  have  two  synagogues,  not 


286  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

gorgeous,  but  crowded  to  overflowing  on  the  Sabbath 
with  earnest  worshippers,  reading  the  Scriptures  and 
chanting  Psalms.  You  see  them  in  their  wailing  on 
Friday  afternoon  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Zion  to  the  rear 
of  the  wall  that  stood  behind  the  Temple,  and  you 
would  judge  them  endued  afresh  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 
There  are  indications  that  Christ  as  the  Messiah  is  com- 
ing to  be  recognized  by  them.  Christian  bells  now  send 
their  peals  to  all  parts  of  Mount  Zion.  Its  gates  are 
open  all  the  night,  and  under  the  starlight  we  have 
walked  about  it  in  perfect  safety ;  but  when  here  twenty 
years  ago  nothing  of  the  kind  could  have  been  done. 
Now  the  friars  of  St.  John  have  full  freedom  to  nurse  the 
sick,  and  the  Sisters  of  charity  to  bless  the  poor.  There 
is  need  of  Christianity  here,  for  lepers  are  common  and 
the  afflicted  go  about  the  streets  finding  no  comfort. 
Let  the  banner  of  Christianity  wave  on  its  summit ;  and 
if  gilded  domes  and  spires  do  not  glisten,  the  joys  of 
Mount  Zion  will  be  but  the  reflection  of  the  joys  of  Zion 
on  high. 

Mount  Moriah  is  still  adorned  with  the  most  perfect 
structure  in  the  city,  the  Mosque  of  Omar.  No  doubt  it 
stands  over  the  foundations  of  Solomon's  Temple,  which 
cost  more  than  thirty  billion  five  hundred  million  dollars. 
A  little  to  the  west  was  the  Temple  of  the  Knights  of 
St.  John  in  the  age  of  the  Crusades,  but  now  is  the 
Mosque  of  Achsa,  beneath  which  are  numerous  arches 
made  of  vast  blocks  of  stone.  These  are  called  the 
Stalls  of  Solomon,  where  were  kept  four  thousand 
horses.  In  another  part  of  Moriah  is  the  Pool  of  Be- 
thesda,  so  noted  for  its  healing  waters,  but  at  present  its 


PALESTINE.  287 

tides  no  longer  rise  and  fall.  Near  by  is  a  large  harem 
where  hosts  of  wives  belonging  to  a  few  Turkish  officers 
reside.  As  these  go  forth  at  early  morning  or  late  in 
the  afternoon  to  the  Moslem  cemetery  to  pray  for  their 
departed  husbands,  they  look  like  ghosts,  being  com- 
pletely hooded  and  dressed  in  white. 

Bezetha,  signifying  the  new  city,  is  the  name  applied 
to  the  northeast  quarter,  and  is  occupied  largely  by  Mo- 
hammedans. Through  it  runs  the  "  Street  of  Sorrows," 
along  which  it  is  said  our  Saviour  was  led  to  crucifixion. 

Akra  is  the  northwest  portion,  and  received  the  name 
from  the  citadel  which  once  stood  here.  This  is  the 
Christian  quarter,  where  Protestants,  Catholics,  and  those 
of  the  Greek  Church  dwell.  Here  is  the  Pool  of  Heze- 
kiah,  connected  by  an  aqueduct  with  the  Upper  Pool  of 
Gihon  outside  of  the  city,  and  connected  by  an  open 
channel  with  the  Pools  of  Solomon,  nine  miles  distant, 
which  are  three  in  number,  some  five  hundred  feet  long, 
three  hundred  wide,  and  sixty  deep.  All  these  mon- 
strous works  were  made  in  the  time  of  Solomon.  There 
are  now  five  gates  to  the  city.  Near  the  Jaffa  Gate  is 
the  Tower  of  Hippicus.  This  was  built  by  Herod,  and 
named  after  a  friend.  For  largeness,  beauty,  and 
strength  he  judged  it  to  surpass  all  other  structures 
of  the  globe.  By  the  Damascus  Gate  we  descend  into 
an  immense  quarry  under  the  city,  where  the  stones 
were  split  out  and  shaped  for  the  Temple.  Huge  blocks 
are  still  here,  half  finished.  As  we  see  these  and  this 
cavern,  we  can  understand  how  the  stones  might  all 
have  been  put  in  shape  for  the  Temple  so  as  to  have 
been  laid  without  any  noise  of  the  hammer. 


288  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

A  day  is  spent  with  an  engineer  in  wandering  through 
avenues  opened  up  beneath  the  city  and  outside  of  it. 
Great  discoveries  have  already  been  made,  and  greater 
remain  to  be  disclosed.  Were  the  Government  not 
hostile  to  foreigners  and  opposed  to  archaeological  ex- 
aminations, strangest  things  would  soon  be  disclosed. 
The  Turkish  rule  is  so  conservative  it  keeps  the  city 
from  making  much  progress.  Were  it  enterprising, 
certain  kinds  of  business  might  become  very  success- 
ful, but  now  everything  drags.  It  takes  three  men, 
as  affairs  move,  to  shoe  a  horse.  Within  the  last 
few  years  more  than  a  hundred  Protestant  schools 
have  been  closed  in  the  land  by  the  order  of  the 
Sultan. 

The  Jews  who  are  flocking  hither  are  mostly  poor, 
and  rely  on  foreign  aid  for  homes  and  support.  Still, 
Jerusalem  is  bound  to  continue,  and  the  region  around 
to  become  thoroughly  explored,  because  this  will  be  for 
the  interest  of  the  world. 

After  walking  and  riding  round  the  city,  visiting  the 
Cave  of  Jeremiah,  the  tombs  of  the  Kings,  the  supposed 
tomb  of  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  the  Valley  of  Hinnom, 
the  Field  of  Aceldama,  the  Pool  of  Siloam,  the  Kedron, 
the  Garden  of  Gethsemane,  and  the  spot  where  Stephen 
was  stoned  to  death,  we  are  conscious  that  the  real  is 
more  than  the  imagined,  and  that  to  understand  many 
things  in  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  you  must  read 
them  on  these  very  spots.  The  more  we  study  Jerusa- 
lem, the  grander  and  more  mysterious  it  becomes.  It 
is  the  city  of  cities.  The  fact  that  Prophets  have  wrought 
in  it,  that  Apostles  have  preached  in  it,  and  most  of  all, 


PALESTINE.  289 

that  Christ  suffered  and  rose  from  the  dead  in  it,  is  suf- 
ficient to  render  it  the  chief  of  cities. 

From  the  brow  of  Olivet,  in  the  clearest  light  to  the 
eastward,  we  catch  glimpses  of  Nebo  and  Pisgah ;  still 
nearer  does  the  eye  observe  the  valley  of  the  Jordan, 
and  a  patch  of  the  glistening  waters  of  the  Dead  Sea, 
thirty-five  hundred  feet  below  this  summit;  hill  upon 
hill  throughout  the  wilderness  of  Judaea  arrests  the 
vision.  Just  a  Sabbath-day's  journey  from  us  is  the 
little  city  of  Bethany,  where  Jesus  so  often  rested,  and 
where  he  turned  the  great  sorrow  of  Mary  and  Martha 
into  ecstatic  joy.  Six  miles  to  the  south  of  Jerusalem 
is  Bethlehem,  or  where  Bethlehem  was  when  the  stars 
shone  out  so  entrancingly,  and  angels  sang,  "  Peace  on 
earth  and  good  will  to  men,"  so  enchanting  the  shep- 
herds on  the  plains  just  below  the  city  that  they  could 
but  sing  for  joy,  glorifying  God. 

Now  we  journey  over  the  hills  and  through  the  vales 
on  horseback,  tenting  out  for  twenty-four  days  from 
Jerusalem  to  Damascus  and  Beyroot.  To  the  left  is 
Mizpeh,  where  Samuel  was  buried,  and  Saul  was  chosen 
king.  Its  name  signifies  "  a  place  of  lookout."  Under 
its  shadow  is  Gibeon,  where  once  stood  a  royal  city,  but 
the  royalty  is  not  now  visible.  To  the  right  is  Gibeah, 
on  the  hill-top,  where  Saul  was  born;  at  present  it  is 
a  mass  of  stones.  Proceeding  northward,  the  loneliness 
of  the  country  becomes  oppressive.  On  sunny  slopes 
among  the  rocks,  grapes,  figs,  and  olives  are  thriving, 
but  no  houses  are  to  be  seen.  The  stones  keep  multi- 
plying, and  are  separated  into  massive  blocks,  so  numer- 
ous that  the  horses  are  obliged  to  pick  their  way.  For 

19 


2QO  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

miles  only  a  few  straggling  human  figures  enter  into 
the  landscape.  Of  a  sudden  the  attention  is  arrested 
by  cries  and  shrieks  from  the  hillside,  and  behold ! 
forty  men,  women,  and  children  are  hobbling  over  the 
rough  pasture,  apparently  in  greatest  distress.  It  is 
soon  made  manifest  that  this  is  a  funeral,  and  that  the 
corpse  is  being  borne  across  the  country  for  burial. 
The  women  who  are  screeching  and  combing  their 
snarled  hair  with  their  fingers  are  hired  to  act  in  just 
that  way.  Really,  they  show  themselves  experts  at  the 
business. 

We  pass  Shiloh,  but  discover  no  Benjaminites  con- 
cealed among  the  vines,  springing  out  to  capture  two 
hundred  fair  damsels.  There  is  now  nothing  but  beau- 
tiful flowers  to  mark  the  spot.  Still,  the  fact  that  Eli 
died  here  will  make  it  attractive  while  stones  shall  en- 
dure. Onward  for  three  hours,  and  Gerizim  and  Ebal 
are  lifted  above  us.  In  fancy  we  see  Abraham  just  en- 
tering this  valley-plain  from  far-off  Ur,  pitching  his 
tent  under  a  terebinth,  and  erecting  perchance  the  first 
altar  to  the  one  living  God.  Then  it  was  here  that 
Jacob  had  a  home ;  for  there,  only  a  few  feet  from  us, 
is  the  well  he  dug,  of  whose  waters  he  and  his  family 
and  flocks  drank.  Here  it  was  that  Jesus  held  that 
surprising  interview  with  the  Samaritan  woman.  A 
short  distance  on,  and  we  are  by  the  tomb  of  Joseph. 
When  he  came  to  die  in  Egypt,  his  thoughts  turned  to 
the  old  home,  and  he  prayed  that  he  might  be  buried 
there ;  and  love  tenderly  interred  him  in  this  spot. 

Nablous  occupies  the  site  of  Shechem,  between  Geri- 
zim and  Ebal.  The  city  is  overhung  with  bushy  foli- 


PALESTINE.  291 

age.  Here  is  the  only  Samaritan  synagogue  in  the 
world.  It  is  a  small  structure,  without  any  attempt  at 
display.  We  cannot  gain  entrance  to  it,  but  are 
permitted  to  stand  at  the  door  and  look  in.  The 
high-priest  is  a  young  man,  exhibiting  little  of  the 
patriarchal  dignity;  he  has  two  associate  priests,  and 
one  hundred  and  thirty-five  followers.  While  we  are 
waiting  at  the  door,  the  high-priest  passes  to  the  holy 
of  holies,  and  takes  out  a  venerable  parchment  in  a 
silver  case,  reported  to  be  a  copy  of  the  Law,  making 
it  more  than  thirty-five  hundred  years  old.  It  certainly 
has  the  appearance  of  extreme  age. 

We  climb  from  this  city  to  the  summit  of  Gerizim, 
which  is  twenty-six  hundred  feet  high.  As  the  top  is 
reached,  we  have  in  the  clear  light  of  the  morning  a 
splendid  outlook  over  sea,  hills,  vales,  and  villages. 
The  whole  land  seems  baptized  with  a  flood  of  light 
and  beauty.  Here  are  the  remains  of  buildings  and 
the  ruins  of  the  old  temple  of  Gerizim.  On  the  north 
side  are  pointed  out  ten  stones  which  a  white-headed 
Samaritan  says  were  brought  by  the  order  of  Joshua 
from  the  Jordan  to  Gilgal  and  afterward  to  Gerizim. 
Here  it  was  that  Joshua  gathered  the  Israelites,  and  read 
to  them  the  Laws  of  Moses.  Indeed,  this  is  historic 
ground ;  and  as  the  natural  beauty  is  blended  with  the 
ancient  annals,  it  becomes  resplendently  glorious. 

On  leaving  Nablous,  which  is  a  city  of  ten  thousand 
inhabitants,  for  a  long  distance  we  are  riding  through 
orchards  of  olives  and  pomegranates.  As  the  city  is 
left,  we  pass  fields  of  rank  wheat  and  timothy  grass. 
Soon  we  see  flocks  of  sheep  and  herds  of  cattle  and 


2Q2  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

horses  scattered  over  the  thousand  hills.  The  flowers 
become  more  countless  than  the  stars.  At  Samaria  we 
see  where  Jonah  failed  of  fulfilling  duty,  where  Elijah 
gained  a  victory  over  the  King  of  Damascus,  and  where 
Herod  had  a  splendid  city.  In  the  heat  of  the  day 
we  cross  the  Plain  of  Esdraelon.  We  drink  from  the 
Kishon,  where  Barak  with  his  ten  thousand  men  over- 
came the  hundred  thousand  footmen  and  nine  hundred 
chariots  of  Sisera.  We  eat  our  luncheon  in  a  garden 
of  Shunam.  We  cross  the  flank  of  Little  Hermon,  and 
pass  through  the  city  of  Nain.  We  ride  through  fields  of 
grain  and  over  broad  meadows  sweet  scented  with  thyme 
and  myrrh,  and  climb  steepest  hillsides,  till  we  have  the 
broadest  view  over  lands  and  seas,  while  close  under 
us  is  Nazareth  nestled  in  the  mountain-top.  It  is  in- 
deed isolated,  but  offers  the  greatest  diversity  of  scen- 
ery. The  air,  light,  and  water  are  unsurpassed.  In 
the  quiet  of  these  highlands  Christ  spent  his  childhood, 
youth,  and  manhood.  Here  Joseph  and  Mary  watched 
over  and  blessed  their  beloved.  Here  Jesus  pushed  the 
plane  and  saw,  and  astonished  the  Rabbis  in  the  syna- 
gogue. Naught  is  left  of  Mary's  home  or  Joseph's 
shop.  The  present  city  looks  new  and  prosperous, 
having  a  population  of  six  thousand.  Nature  made 
the  place  beautiful,  and  Heaven  has  made  it  divine. 

A  two  hours'  ride  brings  us  to  the  summit  of  Tabor, 
and  four  hours  more  to  the  Mount  of  Beatitudes.  The 
scenery  all  the  way  is  most  delightful.  Nature  appears 
to  have  striven  to  group  the  greatest  variety  of  vegeta- 
tion, by  blending  all  the  zones  into  one  through  a  diver- 
sity of  latitudes.  So  walnuts,  sycamores,  olives,  figs, 


PALESTINE.  293 

and  palms,  melons  and  citrons,  wheat,  barley,  and 
grassy  meadows  enamelled  with  myriads  of  tulips,  hya- 
cinths, anemones,  lilies,  daisies,  and  buttercups,  are  to 
be  seen.  From  this  elevation  we  can  look  upon  the 
Sea  of  Galilee,  the  sites  of  Magdala,  Capernaum,  and 
Bethsaida  in  connection  with  other  places  where  Christ 
performed  most  of  his  mighty  works.  It  is  a  joy  to 
read  Christ's  Sermon  on  the  spot  where  it  was  first 
delivered.  Going  down  to  the  sea,  it  is  found  to  be 
surrounded  with  enchantments.  The  music  of  its  waves, 
the  lilies  along  its  shores,  the  legends  of  its  fallen  cities 
are  of  special  interest;  still,  these  are  of  trifling  moment, 
when  the  words  are  recalled  as  they  first  dropped  from 
his  lips :  "  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the 
Gospel  to  every  creature." 

Days  have  passed,  and  many  exciting  scenes  have 
been  experienced,  and  now  we  are  resting  for  a  little 
upon  another  hill,  and  lo  !  in  the  distance  is  Damascus,  — 
"  the  Pearl  of  the  East,"  "  the  Mother  of  the  World," 
as  the  Syrian  expresses  it.  Miles  away  and  close  up 
under  the  mountains  is  a  cluster  of  towering  trees  inter- 
mingled with  minarets  and  spires.  As  we  ride  on,  the 
picture  becomes  fairer.  The  Arcadian  or  the  Elysian 
Fields  dim  in  contrast  with  what  is  just  ahead.  We 
have  arrived  at  the  cross-roads  where  Paul  halted  and 
for  the  first  time  heard  the  voice  of  Jesus,  and  he  be- 
came a  new  man  at  once,  —  so  changed  in  motives ;  he 
now  loved  everybody.  This  plain  henceforth  has  addi- 
tional attractions  because  Paul  journeyed  hither;  the 
flowers  are  fairer  and  sweeter. 

At  last  we  are  threading  the  streets  of  Damascus. 


294  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

The  paving-stones  are  uneven,  and  polished  smooth  by 
the  tread  of  many  feet.  We  can  but  chide  the  high  walls 
that  shut  in  the  richest  perfumes  and  hide  from  view 
the  fairest  gardens.  Soon  women  are  beyond  counting, 
with  jars  of  water  on  their  heads  ;  caravans  of  camels  are 
swaying  along;  donkeys  are  dodging  about;  Arabic 
steeds  with  elegantly  costumed  riders  are  stepping  short 
and  quick.  Soon  the  bazaars  nearly  dazzle  the  eye,  as 
glimpses  are  caught  of  Damascus  blades  and  glistening 
silks.  Now  the  hordes  of  dogs  and  human  beings  are 
immense.  At  length  we  turn  into  a  narrow  passage, 
and  soon  a  door  through  the  wall  opens.  Dismounting, 
we  step  into  a  court  with  fountains  playing  and  trees 
golden  with  oranges ;  this  is  the  introduction  to  our 
hotel.  Here  we  are  in  a  superlatively  Oriental  city, 
reaching  back  in  history  perhaps  four  thousand  years. 
No  doubt  it  is  the  best-watered  city  in  the  world,  hav- 
ing the  branches  of  the  Barada  River  coursing  through 
its  midst. 

The  city  has  its  surprises,  so  we  are  made  to  feel,  as 
we  see  in  coffee-houses  and  club-rooms  stalwart  men 
in  variegated  colors,  sipping  their  coffee,  or  smoking 
their  chibouks,  or  cursing  the  Christians.  We  discover 
that  they  watch  their  wives  with  jealousy  and  mani- 
fest extreme  tenderness  to  the  dogs  lying  in  the  streets. 
Their  very  faces,  as  they  gaze  at  Christian  pilgrims, 
wear  a  seriousness  which  convinces  you  that  they  would 
enjoy  another  massacre  like  that  of  1860.  As  you 
study  them  in  public  or  private  places,  you  are  led  to 
believe  that  the  Damascenes  are  not  so  anxious  for 
national  prosperity  as  for  Moslem  supremacy.  Islam- 


PALESTINE.  295 

ism  can  flourish  only  under  the  clash  of  arms  and  the 
excitement  of  the  battlefield. 

The  street  called  Straight  is  the  one  Paul  walked,  and 
is  the  street  of  bazaars,  which  are  abundantly  supplied 
with  scarfs,  table-spreads,  kaffiyehs,  signet-rings,  attar  of 
roses  from  Bagdad  and  Canton,  and  everything  else; 
and  if  you  buy  and  do  not  pay  more  than  a  third  of 
the  first  price,  you  are  certain  to  pay  twice  what  you 
should.  One  cannot-  endure  Damascus  without  a  deal 
of  toleration.  In  Rome  the  Pope  holds  sway,  in  Cairo 
the  pasha,  in  England  Victoria;  but  in  Damascus  it 
is  Mohammed,  though  he  has  been  dead  a  thousand 
years. 

Our  last  look  at  this  city  is  like  a  fairy  picture. 
The  air  is  balmy  and  the  light  as  clearest  crystal.  We 
have  climbed  high  up  the  side  of  Salaheeyah  to  the 
west,  and  as  we  turn  our  horses,  we  have  the  famous 
view  of  Damascus ;  and  the  first  sweep  of  the  eye  leads 
us  to  exclaim  that  we  have  seen  nothing  like  this  from 
Olivet,  Carmel,  or  Tabor!  As  the  slender  tops  of 
poplars  and  osiers  blend  with  minarets  in  the  sunlight, 
we  are  reminded  of  delicate  lacework  hung  in  the  sky, 
or  of  precious  stones  reflecting  curious  shapes  and  en- 
vironed with  liveliest  emeralds  and  deepest  azure.  No 
language  can  paint  such  a  picture.  It  is  not  strange, 
as  the  legend  reports,  that  the  Prophet  standing  on  this 
height  with  his  eye  fastened  on  the  city  should  have 
said,  "  I  cannot  enter  it,  for  I  can  enter  Paradise  but 
once." 

Two  days'  ride  from  this  point  brings  us  to  the  City 
of  the  Sun,  —  Baalbek.  Its  walls  are  less  than  a  mile 


296  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

in  extent,  but  most  of  the  stones  in  it  are  gigantic. 
One  of  the  largest,  which  is  twenty  feet  from  the 
ground,  is  sixty-five  feet  long,  twelve  wide,  and  thirteen 
feet  high.  Passing  within  the  walls,  the  ruins  surviv- 
ing the  shock  of  war  and  earthquake  are  extremely 
grand  and  beautiful.  The  builders  must  have  been  re- 
ligious and  cultured.  The  columns,  entablatures,  friezes, 
capitals,  pilasters,  cornices,  and  other  decorations  are 
expressive  of  genius,  taste,  skill,  and  power.  Its  history 
reaches  far  back  into  the  unknown.  As  we  listen  to 
the  siren  of  the  past,  we  hear  the  hum  of  this  city  in 
the  reign  of  Solomon,  and  as  Moses  was  leading  the 
Israelites  toward  the  Promised  Land ;  later  we  hear  the 
tread  of  Grecian  feet  and  the  rattle  of  Augustan  arms ; 
and  still  nearer  the  plaintive  prayer  of  the  Islamite, 
terminating  in  the  refrain,  "  Live  forever."  Finally,  the 
last  glimpse  of  Baalbek  was  lost  in  the  distance  as  we 
rode  down  the  rich  valley  cradled  between  the  Great 
and  Little  Lebanon  Mountains,  and  the  snowy  peaks 
dropped  upon  us  the  costliest  glow  of  amethyst,  ver- 
milion, and  gold,  giving  the  assurance  that  if  man's 
works  crumble  and  fade,  the  works  of  God  will  endure 
and  increase  in  glory. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

EPHESUS. 

FOR  days  we  coast  along  Asia  Minor.  We  enjoy 
a  fine  view  of  Rhodes,  with  its  vales  and  moun- 
tains, which  was  anciently  thickly  settled  and  noted 
for  its  liberty  and  culture,  and  in  modern  times  has 
been  the  field  of  bravest  deeds  wrought  by  the  Knights 
of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem.  We  sail  along  the  coast 
of  rocky  Patmos,  and  recall  how  that  desolate  shore 
was  once  traversed  by  Saint  John  as  he  was  banished 
thither  by  Domitian.  There  he  had  visions  of  the  New 
Jerusalem,  and  wrote  his  Revelation.  Beautiful  Samos 
smiles  upon  us,  and  flings  out  to  us  sweetest  odors. 
As  we  see  its  natural  beauties,  we  can  scarcely  doubt 
the  statement  of  mythology  that  man  first  gazed  upon 
mortal  things  here.  Then,  too,  history  affirms  that 
Pythagoras  was  born  here,  who  has  moved  the  world  by 
his  philosophy;  and  hither  came  Herodotus  and  dwelt 
while  he  wrote  most  of  his  History.  We  sight  fair 
Lesbos,  which  was  once  the  rival  of  Athens  in  art  and 
song,  and  the  home  of  Sappho,  who  touched  the  lyre 
and  sweetest  music  dropped  from  its  strings.  As  we 
view  Tenedos,  we  think  of  the  old  Greeks  when  rallying 
here  for  the  siege  of  Troy. 

As  our  steamer  sails  out  of  Ionian  waters,  we  enter 
the  Bay  of  Smyrna.     In  this   May  night  the  scene  is 


298  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

beautiful.  Hills  and  mountains  extend  far  around ;  the 
placid  waters  are  mirroring  from  the  depths  every  ob- 
ject of  the  land.  Villages  are  fringing  the  shore,  while 
in  front  and  in  the  centre  is  the  city,  backed  by  a  lofty 
hill,  crowned  with  a  huge  castle,  within  whose  walls 
once  stood  one  of  the  Seven  Churches  where  the  noble 
Polycarp  ministered  to  hungering  hearts,  and  where  his 
ashes  now  rest  on  the  slope  of  the  hill.  This  is  one  of 
the  cities  which  claims  to  be  the  birthplace  of  Homer, 
and  the  grotto  where  he  wrote  most  of  his  Iliad  is 
pointed  out.  It  is  now  largely  a  Greek  city,  of  more 
than  two  hundred  thousand  inhabitants.  It  is,  and  long 
has  been,  a  commercial  city.  The  country  around  is 
rich  in  soil,  producing  rankest  vegetation.  But  like 
most  of  the  cities  of  the  Levant,  it  is  more  charming  in 
the  distance  than  close  at  hand.  Still,  it  is  possessed 
of  many  good  buildings  and  pleasant  homes.  No  city 
could  have  a  more  fascinating  site;  even  in  some  re- 
spects Athens  and  Edinburgh  do  not  equal  it.  However, 
it  has  experienced  severe  drawbacks  through  frequent 
earthquakes ;  nevertheless  the  people  love  it,  and  cling 
to  it,  as  one  of  the  finest  spots  of  the  globe. 

We  come  to  this  city  mainly  for  the  purpose  of  visit- 
ing Ephesus,  which  is  about  fifty  miles  in  a  southerly 
course  by  rail.  The  day  selected  for  the  visit  is  ushered 
in  with  brightest  promise.  At  seven  in  the  morning  we 
take  the  train,  whose  engine  and  cars  are  of  English  con- 
struction. Our  course  is  out  among  highlands  and 
lowlands,  past  gardens  and  fields  and  ruins,  and  through 
morasses  and  pastures  and  wildest  lands,  where  the  fox 
and  wolf  and  eagle  have  their  haunts  for  the  most  part 


EPHESUS.  299 

undisturbed.  After  two  hours'  ride  at  moderate  speed, 
we  come  into  the  midst  of  mountains  with  wooded  sides 
and  bald  summits.  Some  of  the  outcropping  stones  are 
abrupt  and  ragged.  Thus  far  we  have  passed  only  a 
few  small  settlements.  Now,  as  we  look  from  the  car 
window,  on  a  hill  rising  in  the  valley  we  can  see  a  huge 
fortification,  and  across  the  plain  are  stretching  the  ruins 
of  an  ancient  aqueduct.  Soon  we  are  at  a  halt,  and  at 
the  station  of  Ayasaluk,  or  Ephesus.  Yes,  here  we  are 
landed  in  not  exactly  a  solitude,  but  in  a  desolate  place 
to  all  appearance.  It  is  true  there  are  a  few  habitations 
where  a  low  order  of  human  beings  lives,  and  as  we 
survey  the  visible  facts  we  ask,  Can  this  be  the  place 
where  once  a  great  city  stood,  having  in  it  six  hundred 
thousand  souls  and  a  temple  which  was  counted  among 
the  Seven  Wonders  of  the  world?  Verily  we  are  on  a 
picturesque  plain ;  hills  and  mountains  rise  above  us  to 
the  east,  north,  and  west ;  to  the  south  is  an  opening  to 
the  sea  which  is  miles  away.  The  valley  in  which  we 
find  ourselves  is  irregular  and  oblong,  extending  from 
the  northeast  to  the  southwest,  through  whose  centre 
course  the  Cayster  and  Selinus  Rivers,  as  of  yore. 
Scanning  and  meditating,  we  can  but  ask,  Is  it  possible 
that  "  The  Light  of  Asia  "  once  stood  here,  the  capital 
of  Ionia,  dating  from  the  times  of  fable  and  myth?  Ac- 
cording to  Homer,  it  was  on  the  Cayster,  not  far  from 
the  Ionian  Sea,  among  the  reeds  where  the  swans  were 
wont  to  scream,  and  whose  docks  were  alive  with  buzzing 
traffic.  According  to  report,  the  children  of  Israel  re- 
sorted hither  for  trade.  Here,  too,  Paul  came,  and  in 
the  synagogue  taught  of  the  one  living  and  true  God, 


300  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

and  of  the  resurrection  from  the  dead.  Here  he  was 
persecuted  by  infuriated  idolaters.  Here  in  the  suburb 
of  the  great  city,  it  is  said,  he  established  a  little  church, 
where  Timothy  ministered,  and  which  Saint  John  and 
Saint  Luke  visited. 

As  we  look  around,  we  see  now  no  signs  of  that  splen- 
did temple  which  took  two  hundred  and  twenty-five 
years  to  complete.  It  was  the  grandest  of  all  extant,  be- 
ing four  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet  long,  two  hundred 
and  twenty  feet  wide,  sixty  feet  high,  and  supported  by 
one  hundred  and  twenty-seven  columns,  from  seven  to 
nine  feet  in  diameter.  Chersiphron  was  the  architect ; 
Praxiteles  chiselled  the  altar;  Scopus  cut  the  pillars; 
and  Apelles  painted  and  hung  in  it  a  picture  of  the 
great  Alexander,  who  had  offered  to  rebuild  the  temple 
when  it  was  burned  by  Erastratus,  if  the  Ephesians 
would  permit  him  to  inscribe  his  name  on  the  facade. 
Within  stood  the  great  statue  of  Diana,  the  goddess  of 
the  Ephesians.  Is  it  possible  that  all  this  has  been 
obliterated?  How  true  it  is  that  men  come  and  go,  like 
the  ebb  and  flow  of  the  sea !  Is  it  always  to  be  thus  on 
the  earth, — this  incoming  and  outgoing? 

But  let  us  now  survey  somewhat  carefully  the  place, 
and  ascertain  what  is  left  of  old  Ephesus.  From  the 
east  our  way  is  towards  the  west.  From  the  mountain 
to  our  rear  for  many  rods  extends  a  Roman  aqueduct, 
resting  upon  piers  from  twenty  to  forty  feet  high.  We 
can  now  count  twenty  or  more  storks  roosting  upon 
the  highest  portions.  As  we  advance,  we  pass  several 
Islam  mosques,  small  in  size,  but  Oriental  in  style. 
A  third  of  a  mile  hence  we  come  into  the  thickest  part 


EPHESUS.  301 

of  the  little  village,  whose  diminutive  houses  are  made 
of  brick  and  stone  which  evidently  have  been  used  for 
some  other  purpose.  We  find  the  briers  and  brambles 
rank  and  thick.  We  turn  to  the  right  and  ascend  the 
castle  hill  over  piles  of  debris,  under  an  archway  whose 
decaying  sculptures  speak  of  beauty  and  antiquity. 
The  old  fortification  on  the  top  of  the  hill  is  of  medi- 
aeval times,  but  we  find  marbles  of  various  descriptions 
scattered  about,  which  have  had  a  place  in  some  public 
building.  Descending  from  the  fort  and  keeping  our 
course  to  the  west  a  hundred  rods,  we  come  to  the 
foundations  of  the  Temple  of  Diana.  Here  are  to  be 
seen  some  of  the  piers  on  which  the  immense  columns 
stood,  and  remnants  of  the  walls  of  the  three  different 
temples  built  upon  the  same  site,  also  the  foundations 
of  the  great  altar,  and  more  than  two  hundred  drums  of 
the  columns  placed  around  the  temple.  The  grounds 
have  been  opened  up,  so  that  its  walls  or  fencing  can  be 
easily  traced.  It  would  seem  that  the  temple  stood 
between  the  two  most  thickly  settled  portions  of  the 
city,  though  the  larger  population  must  have  been  to 
the  west,  on  the  sides  of  Mount  Coressus,  whose  incli- 
nation is  to  the  temple.  At  the  base  of  this  mount, 
which  rises  up  several  hundred  feet,  and  backed  by 
Mount  Prion,  whose  summit  must  be  fifteen  hundred 
feet  above  the  plain  on  which  the  temple  stood,  we 
find  many  cavities  which  were  cut  into  the  solid  rock 
evidently  for  tombs.  At  its  base  are  the  remains  of  a 
monument  which  is  supposed  to  mark  the  tomb  of 
Androcles,  who  founded  a  city  at  Ephesus  eleven  centu- 
ries before  the  Christian  era.  In  some  of  these  openings 


3O2  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

have  been  discovered  sarcophagi,  in  one  of  which  were 
fourteen  skeletons.  Proceeding  along  this  elevation,  we 
come  to  the  Magnesian  Gate ;  it  has  three  openings, 
two  for.  chariots  and  one  for  foot-passengers.  Entering 
within,  we  soon  are  in  the  Gymnasium,  which  is  so  pre- 
served that  we  can  trace  out  all  its  parts.  From  the 
Gymnasium  we  can  see  along  the  side  of  Mount  Prion 
the  fortified  wall  built  by  Lysimachus.  Advancing,  we 
soon  come  to  the  ruins  of  a  basilica  which  is  believed 
to  have  been  converted  into  a  church  and  dedicated  to 
Saint  Luke ;  and  near  by  is  a  circular  structure  which  is 
regarded  by  some  as  the  tomb  of  Saint  Luke,  —  for  he  is 
believed  to  have  died  here,  as  well  as  Saints  John  and 
Timothy;  possibly  their  ashes  mingle  together  in  this 
desolate  tomb.  In  another  spot,  and  farther  to  the  west, 
we  come  to  the  Odeon,  or  Opera  House,  whose  prosce- 
nium, stage,  and  orchestra  can  be  seen.  In  another 
part  is  the  Theatre,  which  was  capable  of  holding 
twenty-five  thousand  persons;  here  are  many  Greek 
and  Latin  inscriptions.  We  next  come  to  the  Forum 
with  its  Agora,  and  then  to  the  Great  Gymnasium, 
which  stood  at  the  head  of  the  Port.  After  this  sur- 
vey we  are  ready  to  admit  that  Ephesus  in  the  time 
of  Paul  must  have  been  a'  splendid  city.  Then  its 
inhabitants  could  have  little  thought  that  it  was  to 
perish  and  many  of  its  treasures  were  to  be  borne  to 
other  cities  to  adorn  temples  and  churches.  It  was 
beautiful  for  situation  and  fortunate  in  its  builders.  In 
its  zenith  it  was  one  of  the  most  famous  cities  of  the 
earth.  It  was  a  centre  of  scholarship,  philosophy,  and 
religion.  The  Ephesians  were,  however,  living  rather 


TEMPLE    OF    THESEUS    AXD    ACROPOLIS. 


EPHESUS.  303 

for  show  than  substance.  They  were  worshipping  mainly 
Jupiter,  Mars,  Neptune,  Diana,  and  minor  deities.  Of 
course  the  Israelites  then  were  as  the  Israelites  are  now, 
given  to  the  worship  of  one  God.  But  when  Paul  entered 
the  city,  he  desired  to  lead  scholar  and  religionist  to  a 
higher  plane  of  thinking  and  living.  So  for  three  years 
at  different  periods  he  wrought  here,  preaching  "  Christ 
and  the  resurrection  from  the  dead."  Here  he  labored 
in  the  synagogue,  refuted  false  philosophies,  taught  in 
the  school  of  Tyrranus,  and  wrote  a  letter  to  the  Corin- 
thians, which  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  intellectual 
and  spiritual  productions.  In  it  he  treats  of  the  earthly 
and  the  heavenly,  so  using  the  material  as  to  throw  the 
clearest  light  upon  the  immortal.  Here,  too,  he  com- 
posed his  Epistle  to  the  Galatians,  defining  the  relations 
of  Jews  and  Gentiles  to  the  Church  of  Christ.  It  is  a 
privilege  to  walk  among  the  ruins  of  an  opulent  city,  but 
a  far  greater  one  to  stand  where  Paul  wrote  some  of  the 
grandest  sentiments  ever  given  to  humanity,  and  where 
he  established  a  Christian  Church  in  the  age  of  moral 
darkness,  to  which  he  sent  from  Rome  a  quickening 
epistle,  the  grammar  of  which  is  complete,  the  logic 
strong,  and  the  thought  profound.  Ah  !  if  the  material 
crumbles  away,  the  spiritual  lives. 

Ephesus  had  an  Acropolis  in  the  eastern  part  and 
one  in  the  western.  It  must  have  been  one  of  the 
fairest  cities  when  the  Apostle  dwelt  in  it.  Its  natural 
advantages  were  great.  The  meadows,  rocks,  hills, 
mountains,  woods,  and  skies,  all  conspired  to  fill  it 
with  special  interest. 

As  we  look  around,  and  see  the  ruins  in  their  wasted 


304  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

condition  among  the  greatest  variety  of  most  beautiful 
flowers,  we  are  moved  to  inquire,  What  must  it  have 
been  in  its  most  improved  state?  It  has  peculiar  at- 
tractions now,  though  the  eagle  screams  above  it,  the 
storks  nest  upon  its  walls,  and  jackals  burrow  among 
its  ruins.  If  it  is  the  home  of  outward  desolation,  it 
is  the  abiding-place  of  richest  associations  and  divine 
suggestions.  No  one  can  exhaust  all  the  lessons  it  can 
impart.  If  it  is  the  grave  of  boasted  greatness,  light 
falls  upon  it  from  that  other  shore,  and  the  voice  of 
the  sainted  is  still  saying,  "  As  we  have  borne  the  image 
of  the  earthy,  so  we  shall  bear  the  image  of  the  heav- 
enly." If  it  no  longer  can  be  said  here,  "  Great  is  Diana 
of  the  Ephesians,"  with  joy  it  can  be  affirmed,  "  If  our 
earthly  house  be  dissolved,  we  have  a  building  of  God, 
eternal  in  the  heavens !  " 


CHAPTER  X. 

ATHENS. 

more  in  the  ^Egean  Sea,  we  are  sailing  past 
the  island  of  Chios,  which  claims  Homer  as  her 
own  son,  asserting  that  here  he  first  recited  his  epic 
songs.  No  wonder  the  lonians  delighted  to  sail  over 
these  waters  and  dwell  upon  these  islands,  which  look 
so  inviting  and  are  sending  to  us  on  the  breezes  the 
sweetest  perfumes.  Almost  too  soon  we  are  approach- 
ing the  mainland  on  the  west,  and  a  voice  whispers, 
"  This  is  classic  Greece," —  the  country  that  dips  down 
into  the  sea  and  rises  up,  touching  the  sky  in  more 
points  than  any  other  land  of  equal  area.  Nature 
plainly  intended  it  to  be  the  home  of  the  calm  and  the 
austere,  the  beautiful  and  the  sublime.  It  presents  the 
greatest  possible  diversity  blended  into  perfect  unity. 
It  is  not  strange  that  its  earliest  inhabitants,  whether 
Hellenes  or  Pelasgians,  or  both,  should  have  believed 
in  fairies  and  fates ;  for  as  you  tread  its  soil,  you  realize 
there  is  something  peculiar  here  in  the  land,  sea,  and 
sky.  Somehow  an  inevitable  mystery  broods  over  it. 
Mythical  tales  and  legendary  songs  are  so  indigenous 
to  the  soil,  and  so  crowrded  with  fiction  and  facts,  as 
to  fascinate  scholars  all  along  the  centuries.  Who  does 
not  like  to  read  the  stories  relating  how  Cecrops,  sailing 
from  Egypt,  founded  Cecropia;  how  Pelops,  emigrating 

20 


306  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

from  Phrygia,  settled  Sparta;  and  how  Cadmus,  desert- 
ing Phoenicia,  built  up  Mycenae?  Is  it  not  pleasing  to 
peruse  the  traditional  accounts  of  Theseus  remodelling 
the  Constitution  of  Athens,  making  it  the  centre  of  jus- 
tice after  slaying  Minotaur,  who  had  devoured  a  ship- 
load of  Athenian  young  men  and  maidens ;  of  Jason's 
ransacking  the  Euxine  Sea  in  his  Argosian  craft,  search- 
ing after  the  Golden  Fleece,  and  in  the  successful  voy- 
age capturing  the  daughter  of  the  King  of  Colchis, 
making  himself  happy  by  rendering  others  miserable ; 
of  Menelaus,  whose  Helen  was  treacherously  seized 
by  Paris  and  borne  far  off  to  Troy,  causing  the  Trojan 
war,  thus  affording  a  theme  for  the  heroic  poems  of 
Homer? 

Many  are  the  pleasures  that  are  sure  to  be  experienced 
by  seekers  after  Grecian  thought  and  life.  Enough 
springs  from  fable  to  prove  that  the  Hellenic  race  was 
particularly  fond  of  the  beautiful,  as  expressed  in 
poetry,  painting,  sculpture,  and  music.  No  doubt 
those  early  lays  they  sang  and  the  epics  they  recited 
at  length  developed  into  the  finished  drama  and  the 
perfected  tragedy.  This  pristine  singing  and  reciting 
may  have  enabled  Homer  to  produce  his  immortal 
poems.  Looking  upon  the  relics,  we  are  forced  to  the 
conclusion  that  religion  was  at  the  bottom  of  all  this 
peculiar  life.  Possibly  this  is  the  secret  something  that 
imparts  such  a  spell,  and  enwraps  hearts  with  such  de- 
votion to  the  Grecian  land  and  literature. 

From  the  time  Herodotus  wrote,  this  country  has 
been  largely  given  to  matters  of  fact ;  and  as  we  travel 
over  it,  things  seem  real.  We  visit  the  plain  of  Mar- 


ATHENS.  307 

athon,  and  this  can  be  no  other  than  the  field  on  which 
Miltiades  led  his  daring  ten  thousand  against  the 
Persian  myriads,  and  nobly  won  the  day.  Go  to 
Thermopylae,  and  this  is  verily  the  Narrow  Pass  where 
brave  Leonidas  with  his  three  hundred  Spartans  with- 
stood for  days  the  terrible  pressure  of  Xerxes'  mighty 
force. 

/ 

As  we  sail  into  the  Bay  of  Salamis  or  walk  along/ 
the  shore,  imagination  pictures  the  Persian  king  as 
having  fired  Athens  and,  fleeing  five  miles  away,  seated 
himself  on  the  lofty  mound  that  rises  from  the  shore 
of  the  bay.  The  Athenians  have  taken  refuge  on  the 
island  of  Salamis,  a  short  distance  off.  Persian  infantry 
are  marching  overland,  and  Persian  galleys  are  sailing 
into  the  bay.  Xerxes  is  full  of  hope  on  his  sublime 
throne.  The  night  passes;  the  day  dawns.  Themis- 
tocles  sails  out  from  behind  the  island  with  a  few 
triremes.  The  fight  begins;  it  is  the  few  against  the 
many.  High  noon  pours  down  its  scorching  light 
upon  the  flashing  blades,  but  no  victory  is  won;  yet 
as  the  stars  shine  out,  Xerxes  is  a  vanquished  king, 
and  Themistocles  an  honored  hero. 

Inspect  the  bay  to-day,  and  how  different  it  is  from 
what  it  was  four  hundred  and  eighty  years  before  the 
Christian  era !  Now  no  triremes  or  galleys  are  floating 
on  its  waters,  but  instead  may  be  seen  a  hundred  sail- 
ing-vessels and  nearly  half  that  number  of  merchant 
steamers. 

History  and  imagination  enable  us  to  behold  ancient 
Athens  restored.  Themistocles  is  surrounding  it  with 
walls  reaching  down  to  the  sea.  The  gifted  Pericles 


308  ROUND   THE   GLOBE. 

is  soon  at  the  head  of  the  government.  He  endeavors 
to  carry  out  the  work  already  begun.  Huge  blocks 
of  marble  are  being  brought  from  Pentelicus  and 
Paros.  The  chisels  of  Phidias  and  Callicrates  are 
ringing.  The  former  is  cutting  statues  of  Athene, 
and  the  latter  is  building  the  Parthenon.  Calli- 
machus,  Corcebus,  and  Xenocles  are  called  to  their 
assistance.  In  a  few  years  the  Acropolis  is  crowned 
with  the  most  exquisitely  beautiful  temples  and  ele- 
gant works  of  art. 

We  climb  Mars  Hill,  and  here  is  the  ledge  on  which 
the  Athenian  Tribunal  was  wont  to  be  held.  Here 
Socrates  was  tried  and  condemned.  Here  it  was  Saint 
Paul  made  one  of  his  profoundest  and  most  convincing 
arguments. 

Crossing  the  Agora,  we  come  to  the  Pnyx  Hill,  on 
whose  rocky  bema  Pericles  stood  when  he  pronounced 
his  orations,  and  where  Demosthenes  delivered  his  in- 
spiring philippics.  On  the  south  side  of  the  Acropolis 
we  survey  the  remains  of  the  first  theatre  of  which  his- 
tory speaks,  where  Thespis  presented  the  first  comedy 
and  went  upon  the  stage  himself  as  an  actor.  Here 
yEschylus  was  published  to  the  world  in  his  trochaic 
and  iambic  measures.  Here  Sophocles'  Antigone  and 
CEdipus  were  played,  delighting  and  instructing  the 
Mite  of  the  city.  Here  Euripides  brought  out  practical 
truths  in  poetical  lines,  making  himself  the  Shakspeare 
of  that  old  period.  A  little  to  the  west  is  the  Odeum, 
where  vast  audiences  used  to  be  seated,  listening  to 
sweetest  music.  Thus,  as  one  looks  through  the  eye 
of  history,  he  discovers  a  cultured  life  swarming  in  these 


ATHENS.  309 

romantic  spots.  He  searches  out  Aristotle's  Garden 
and  Plato's  Academy,  and  these  speak  through  logic 
and  philosophy  of  abiding  principles.  Examining  this 
ancient  life  and  its  refinement,  we  can  but  query,  Why 
should  it  have  become  wasted?  As  its  history  is  fol- 
lowed through  the  centuries,  it  is  ascertained  that  it 
was  accomplished  not  through  Persian  might,  but  by 
internal  strife  and  dissensions.  It  was  Sparta  against 
Athens,  and  Corinth  against  both.  Sin  and  corruption 
took  on  refined  shapes,  and  so  were  all  the  more  dan- 
gerous and  disintegrating. 

At  length  Peloponnesus  invited  Rome  to  assist  her; 
and  she,  like  the  lion,  was  willing,  with  the  chance  of 
taking  the  bigger  half  herself.  So,  when  the  West 
thought  she  had  conquered  the  East,  Rome  just  took 
them  both,  and  at  once  the  glory  of  Sparta  vanished, 
and  the  art  beauty  of  Athens  was  broken  into  frag- 
ments. The  Roman  Mummius  bore  off  the  most  mag- 
nificent sculptures  from  Corinth  and  Athens  to  adorn 
his  own  city.  Thus  the  fair  land  of  Hellas  from  that 
date  to  the  present  century  was  swallowed  up  by  the 
Roman  sovereignty  and  the  Turkish  dominion.  Though 
a  captive,  Greece  has  conquered  her  captors  through 
her  arts,  poetry,  and  philosophy.  These  have  expressed 
themselves  throughout  the  wide  world,  and  are  still  de- 
claring the  greatness  and  glory  of  ancient  Greece. 

What  would  civilization  be,  if  deprived  of  Athenian 
poetry,  philosophy,  proverbs,  and  aphorisms?  At  least 
there  would  be  experienced  an  irreparable  loss.  This 
fact  is  encouraging,  however,  that  at  present  Attica  and 
the  whole  of  Greece  are  reviving  The  new  Athens  of 


310  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

a  hundred  thousand  people  is  an  attractive  city.  It 
would  seem  that  much  of  the  old  Spartan  and  Athe- 
nian blood  is  still  coursing  human  veins.  Though  the 
citizens  are  disposed  to  let  the  Acropolis  and  other 
ruins  stand  in  their  sublime  silence,  yet  they  are  por- 
traying the  beautiful  in  the  style  of  their  houses  and 
public  buildings.  These  are  being  made  out  of  marble 
and  adorned  with  exquisitely  cut  statues  of  ancient 
savans.  Pantheism  is  no  longer  rife  here,  but  Chris- 
tianity as  manifested  through  the  Greek  and  Protestant 
churches.  Should  Paul  return  to  the  new  city,  he 
would  discover  nowhere  the  inscription,  "  To  the  un- 
known God,"  but  instead  he  would  see  church  edifices 
pointing  to  the  one  living  God,  and  schoolhouses  speak- 
ing for  the  education  of  the  whole  people. 

The  scenery  here  is  just  as  varied  and  enchanting  as 
when  Socrates  moralized  and  Pericles  ruled.  If  it 
should  continue  to  grow  as  it  has  since  we  were  here 
in  1870,  it  will  not  be  long  before  modern  Athens  will 
be  a  most  imposing  city,  —  yes,  a  classic  city,  if  the 
cause  of  education  moves  on  as  it  has  for  the  last  twenty 
years.  Her  university  of  two  thousand  students,  her 
normal  school  of  five  hundred  young  women,  and  her 
public  schools  filled  with  all  her  children  from  six  to 
fourteen  years  of  age,  are  unfailing  assurances  of  pros- 
perity and  enlightenment.  Let  her  go  on,  and  the  Attic 
Plain  will  become  more  alive  than  ever  before.  The 
modern  emulates  the  past.  In  the  Athenian  homes 
Xenophon,  Plutarch,  Herodotus,  and  Homer  are  read 
as  we  read  Bancroft,  Emerson,  Whittier,  and  Mrs. 
Stowe.  The  modern  Greek  language  is  one  of  the 


ATHENS.  3  1 1 

most    euphonic,    and    is    becoming     highly    perfected 
through  the  study  of  the  Greek  classics. 

Twenty  years  ago  brigands  were  the  scourge  of  the 
country,  but  they  have  all  disappeared.  The  people 
are  active  and  polite  in  their  shops,  stores,  and  public 
places.  Most  of  them  are  industrious  and  hopeful. 
They  feel  that  their  country  has  suffered  most  unjustly 
by  Turkish  greed,  and  they  are  resolved  upon  redress 
through  brains  and  arms.  To  say  the  least,  the  Greeks 
are  a  peculiar  and  remarkable  people.  They  love  their 
country  and  its  history.  Who  knows  but,  with  their 
present  tendencies  and  great  natural  advantages,  they 
will  make  the  Greece  of  the  future  surpass  the  Greece 
of  the  past? 


CHAPTER  XI. 

ITALY  AND   MALTA. 

A  STEAMER  lands  us  next  at  Brindisi,  Italy. 
What  a  change  has  come  over  this  city  within 
a  few  years !  Not  long  ago  it  was  so  filthy  that  the 
cholera  seemed  bound  to  stay  in  it.  In  this  spring-time 
it  has  donned  its  best  attire.  The  oak,  myrtle,  chestnut, 
olive,  and  mulberry  are  putting  on  their  freshest  foliage ; 
the  arbutus,  lilac,  and  jessamine  are  burdening  the 
winds  with  their  perfume.  The  villas  scattered  around 
the  bay,  embowered  among  thick  shade-trees,  appear 
winsome  and  wooing.  The  deepest  blue  sky  drops  to 
the  horizon,  holding  all  in  its  embrace.  We  find  it  is 
market-day  on  shore.  On  the  sale-grounds  are  beauti- 
ful bouquets,  fruits  in  large  quantities,  loaves  of  bread 
piled  high,  pie-plants,  melons,  and  potatoes  in  heaps, 
fish  fresh  from  the  sea,  and  meats  direct  from  the 
slaughter-house.  Hither  and  thither  the  people  are 
flocking,  — some  selling  and  others  buying.  Some  faces 
are  handsome,  and  others  ugly.  Coming  from  the  far 
East,  where  the  worst  possible  condition  of  civilized 
and  uncivilized  life  is  presented,  this  city  seems  like 
an  Elysium.  But  the  modern  cannot  equal  the  an- 
cient. Brindisi  is  not  Brundisium.  In  the  reign  of 
the  Caesars  one  of  the  great  roads  of  Rome  terminated 
here.  Some  of  its  paving-stones  are  still  visible.  Then 


VESUVIUS    AND    RUINS    OF    POMPEII. 


ITALY  AND   MALTA.  313 

Brundisium  was  an  important  town.  But,  like  Rome, 
it  waned  at  last,  and  became  a  mass  of  ruins.  However, 
a  sad  charm  clings  to  the  ancient  city,  bringing  many 
a  pilgrim  hither,  because  it  was  here  the  sweet  singer 
of  Mantua  closed  his  eyes  on  mortal  things.  Who  that 
has  read  the  Bucolics,  wherein  are  pictured  the  fields, 
vines,  bees,  kine,  and  great  white  oxen,  and  the  best 
methods  of  tilling  the  soil  are  shown,  can  marvel  that 
Virgil  should  still  live  and  be  admired?  Then  the 
Georgics,  which  have  been  pronounced  the  most  per- 
fect of  Latin  compositions,  can  but  fascinate  more  and 
more,  as  the  flowing  measures  are  studied  and  the 
deep  thoughts  treasured  up.  They  are  like  a  polished 
stone  most  beautiful,  which  when  opened  reveals  a  dia- 
mond within.  Then,  too,  the  ^Eneid,  which  has  been 
read  for  nearly  a  score  of  centuries,  is  admired  more 
than  ever.  How  many  minds  have  been  quickened  by 
it,  and  how  much  inspiration  has  been  breathed  into 
souls  through  its  euphonic  metres  and  perfect  descrip- 
tions of  heroes  and  heroines !  The  spot  where  such 
a  one  breathed  his  last  savors  of  the  heavenly.  In 
thought  we  are  taken  over  the  Apennines  to  the  city 
of  Naples,  where  we  have  wandered  at  different  times 
among  a  people  who  seem  to  live  outdoors  from  choice ; 
the  broad  Chiaja  stranding  the  bay;  the  city  hugging 
Castle  Hill ;  the  island  of  Capri,  rising  like  a  nymph  from 
the  sea;  the  towering  of  Vesuvius,  waving  its  smoky 
plume ;  the  facchini  who  start  up  without  any  bidding, 
helping  from  the  cars  or  the  hack,  clutching  at  umbrellas 
or  valises  and  running  away  with  them  whenever  it  is 
possible;  the  rich  and  poor,  riding  every  afternoon  in 


3  14  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

carriages  or  carts  on  the  broadest  streets,  drawn  by 
grandest  steeds  or  meanest  donkeys ;  the  climbing  to 
the  top  of  Vesuvius  at  four  different  seasons ;  the  visits 
to  Herculaneum  and  Pompeii,  inspecting  villas,  temples, 
baths,  dead  bodies  recently  exhumed,  corn-mills,  ovens, 
oil-jars,  rings,  and  precious  things,  which  were  buried 
out  of  sight  in  A.  D.  79,  —  all  these  strange  objects  are 
certain  to  surprise  and  allure  the  seeker  after  strange 
sights;  but  even  these  did  not  afford  the  satisfaction 
that  an  excursion  westward  from  the  city  afforded.  The 
first  object  of  striking  moment  was  the  grave  of  Virgil, 
situated  in  a  picturesque  dell  just  above  the  entrance 
to  the  Grotta  di  Posilippo.  The  laurel  which  Pe- 
trarch planted  by  it  is  gone,  but  ivy  hugs  about  it,  and 
Nature  seems  to  caress  and  tenderly  nurse  it.  It  is 
reported  that  the  poet's  villa,  where  he  composed  his 
Eclogues  and  Georgics,  stood  just  above  it  on  the  hill. 
Leaving  this,  we  went  through  the  Grotto,  two  thousand 
feet  in  length,  and  constructed  as  a  passage  for  carriages 
two  thousand  years  ago.  Beyond  this  we  came  to  a 
solfatara,  which  Strabo  christened  "  Forum  of  Vulcan." 
Farther  on  we  examined  Pozzuoli,  which  was  Puteoli, 
where  Paul  landed  on  his  way  to  Rome.  Here  are  the 
ruins  of  the  Temple  of  Jupiter  Serapis.  Not  far  on  we 
came  to  the  fabled  Avernus,  where  Ulysses  descended 
to  the  infernal  regions.  But  it  is  no  longer  a  gloomy 
and  fearful  body  of  water.  Green  grass  and  thrifty 
trees  border  its  shore.  In  an  inner  recess  by  this  lake 
is  the  Sibyl's  Cave,  where  Hannibal  is  represented  as 
sacrificing  to  Pluto.  A  tunnel  extends  from  these  hot 
waters  through  the  hill  three  thousand  feet  to  the 


ITALY  AND   MALTA.  315 

Elyslan  Fields,  which  from  their  fruitfulness  and  beauty 
were  believed  to  be  the  home  of  the  Blessed,  —  so 
the  Mantuan  Bard  wrote.  All  these  scenes  Virgil  was 
wont  to  look  upon,  and  so  immortalized  them  in  song. 

But  the  bell  of  the  steamer  strikes,  calling  passengers 
from  these  haunts  and  reveries.  Soon  the  steamer  is 
ploughing  round  the  southern  coast  of  Italy.  The  land 
by  the  sea  sweeps  back  into  vast  plains  which  are  wav- 
ing green  with  grass  and  wheat.  In  less  than  a  day  we 
sight  Sicily,  and  with  the  glass  can  inspect  Etna,  lifted 
ten  thousand  feet  into  the  sky.  In  a  few  hours  more 
Malta  (formerly  Melita)  is  disclosed.  Possibly  we  are 
looking  upon  the  very  coast  where  Paul  was  wrecked. 
We  can  but  recall  that  his  voyage  had  been  most 
hazardous.  Still,  when  the  captain  and  sailors  had 
given  up  in  despair,  the  Apostle  was  considerate  and 
trustful.  He  had  been  faithful  to  God  and  man;  why 
should  he  fear?  Such  loyalty  never  falters,  but  is  sure 
of  final  triumph.  Approaching  nearer,  we  discover 
that  the  island  is  composed  of  whitish  stone,  being 
seventeen  miles  long  and  nine  wide.  Its  soil  is  pro- 
ductive and  well  cultivated,  yielding  grapes,  oranges, 
wheat,  olives,  and  cotton.  Its  climate  is  hot,  but 
healthy.  Brilliant  skies  smile  upon  it.  Twenty- two 
villages  dot  its  surface.  Malta  is  a  crown-colony,  gov- 
erned by  its  own  laws.  As  the  steamer  enters  the 
harbor,  rocks  rise  high  on  either  side;  upon  these  on 
the  one  hand  stand  strong  walls,  and  on  the  other 
houses  after  the  Italian  style.  Entering  the  city,  we 
find  the  old  part  rises  in  terrace  after  terrace.  The 
highways  consist  largely  of  flights  of  stone  steps,  lined 


316  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

with  stores  and  dwellings.  Neatness  appears  to  be 
stamped  on  everything.  No  filth  or  garbage  lies  by 
the  wayside.  The  display  of  goods  in  the  shop-win- 
dows indicates  taste  and  good  judgment.  The  stores 
are  not  spacious,  but  inviting  and  pleasant.  The  dress 
of  the  men  is  after  the  European  custom,  but  that  of 
the  women  is  peculiar.  A  friend  who  had  been  on 
the  street  but  a  short  time  remarked,  "  Do  you  see  how 
thick  the  nuns  are?  "  The  women  are  dressed  in  black 
throughout,  wearing  Quaker-like  bonnets.  It  is  some- 
what singular  that  black  should  have  been  adopted  in 
this  hot  climate.  Scanning  the  faces,  the  olive  of  the 
Greek,  the  brunette  of  the  Roman,  the  blond  of  the 
French,  the  russet  of  the  Arab,  and  the  unnatural  white 
of  the  Albino  are  made  very  manifest.  The  people  are 
active,  and  move  as  though  they  had  a  purpose. 

When  the  Knights  of  St.  John  were  driven  from  the 
island  of  Rhodes,  they  were  permitted  to  come  with 
their  treasures  to  this  island,  and  under  them  it  became 
most  flourishing.  In  1798  it  was  captured  by  the 
French,  and  in  1 800  it  was  taken  by  the  English,  and 
is  still  in  their  custody.  It  is  strongly  fortified,  and 
regarded  as  an  important  possession  in  the  midst  of 
the  Mediterranean. 

In  the  Church  of  St.  John,  which  is  one  of  the  oldest 
and  most  curious  structures  in  the  city,  is  a  fine  display 
on  the  walls,  ceiling,  and  marble  flooring  of  the  work 
of  the  old  Knights.  The  statues  are  exquisitely  cut, 
the  paintings  cannot  easily  be  surpassed,  the  tapestry 
pictures  are  true  to  life,  and  the  profuse  carvings  on 
the  floors  can  but  be  admired.  This  is  the  church  of 


ITALY  AND   MALTA.  317 

Knight-heraldry.  In  the  museum  of  the  city  is  an 
extensive  collection  of  Knight-memorials  in  the  way 
of  mail-costumes,  swords,  guns,  cannon,  and  splendid 
tapestries,  more  than  three  hundred  years  old.  The 
Knights  of  Malta  are  bound  to  live. 

This  city  is  famous  for  its  clubs,  newspapers,  univer- 
sity, soldiers,  and  theatres.  Though  the  island  has 
been  held  by  the  Phoenicians,  Greeks,  Carthaginians, 
Romans,  Goths,  Vandals,  Saracens,  Sicilians,  yet  it  pro- 
mises henceforth  to  remain  in  the  possession  of  the 
English.  From  October  to  April  its  climate  is  delight- 
ful. With  the  English  it  is  a  favorite  island. 

Leaving  Malta,  as  the  heavens  are  all  afire  with  flam- 
ing stars  and  the  smooth  sea  reflects  a  secondary  firma- 
ment unusually  brilliant,  we  rejoice  that  Neptune  is  so 
propitious.  The  night  passes  on,  and  Somnus  brings 
sleep  to  all  on  board  save  to  the  officers  walking  the 
bridge,  the  watchmen  on  the  bow,  the  firemen  feed- 
ing the  furnaces,  the  steersmen  at  the  wheel,  and  the 
engineers  guarding  the  motive  power.  As  Aurora 
ushers  in  the  new  day,  we  are  sailing  along  the  coast  of 
Africa,  a  short  distance  from  the  site  of  old  Carthage, 
which  recalls  the  scenes  of  that  Tyrian  colony  coming 
across  the  Mediterranean,  long  before  Paul  sailed  its 
waters,  laying  the  foundations  of  a  grand  city  which 
became  almost  the  mistress  of  Rome  and  the  world  in 
the  days  of  Hannibal.  The  African  coast  is  very  ir- 
regular, being  broken  into  vales,  hills,  and  mountains. 
Some  of  the  highest  peaks  in  this  late  spring-time  are 
scarfed  with  snow.  The  valleys  are  green  and  lovely ; 
the  highlands  are  covered  with  olive  and  mulberry 


J  1 8  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

orchards.  Villages  dot  the  glens  and  slopes  of  the 
mountains.  It  is  not  singular  that  the  old  Greeks,  so 
fond  of  the  beautiful,  should  have  sought  settlements 
among  such  overweening  loveliness. 

On  the  morning  of  the  fourth  day  from  Malta  the 
steamer  rounds  the  Rock  —  fourteen  hundred  feet  high, 
being  on  the  east  and  south  sides  nearly  perpendicular, 
and  on  the  west  sloping  to  the  sea —  on  which  stands  the 
city  of  Gibraltar.  English  batteries  are  thickly  planted 
on  the  top  and  within  the  Rock,  making  the  strongest 
fortification  in  the  world,  and  having  perfect  command 
of  the  straits. 

This  has  been  a  signally  contested  place.  The  Span- 
ards,  the  French,  and  the  Moors  have  laid  claim  to  it 
at  different  periods.  Now  the  English  hold  it  as  theirs 
henceforth. 

Gibraltar  has  a  population  of  thirty  thousand,  who 
do  not  speak  quite  as  many  different  languages.  The 
bay  on  which  the  city  stands  is  safe  for  moorage  in 
storm  and  delightful  in  calm.  The  Spanish  and  African 
coasts  in  sight  are  truly  picturesque.  On  the  African 
side,  some  five  miles  off  to  the  nearest  point,  are  strong- 
bulwarks  and  frowning  cannon;  and  where  Spain  dips 
to  the  sea  west  of  Gibraltar,  she  has  heavy  breastworks 
and  many  soldiers  on  duty.  It  is  sad  that  in  this  age 
and  in  civilized  countries  men  should  spend  such  im- 
mense sums  of  money  in  preparing  to  slay  one  another. 
How  long  will  it  be  before  Christendom  will  learn  that 
they  are  the  true  heroes  who  destroy  not  with  steel  and 
lead,  but  "  overcome  evil  with  good  "  ? 


CHAPTER  XII. 

SPAIN. 

A  DVANCING  into  Spain,  we  are  soon  made  con- 
**•  scious  that  Nature  has  been  munificent  to  this 
country,  supplying  her  abundantly  with  granite,  mar- 
ble, and  wood  for  building ;  the  richest  soil  for  grow- 
ing wheat,  grapes,  and  olives;  the  purest  water,  the 
most  effulgent  skies,  and  the  healthiest  climate.  Man 
ought  to  live  and  prosper,  blessed  with  such  benefi- 
cence ;  but  for  some  reason  blight  has  come  upon  him 
in  this  land  of  so  much  natural  wealth.  Why  should 
this  be?  In  the  sixteenth  century  Spain  took  the  lead 
of  civilization.  Her  commerce  was  upon  every  sea,  and 
her  intellectual  influence  was  felt  to  the  uttermost  parts 
of  the  earth.  Then  she  was  wearing  the  crown  that  had 
fallen  from  Greece,  Egypt,  and  Rome.  Yet  she  was  not 
to  wear  it  long,  because  of  unfaithfulness  to  principle. 
Her  king  Philip  II.  was  the  bitterest  opponent  of  the 
Reformation,  at  the  same  time  that  in  Germany  it  was 
shielded  by  the  arm  of  empire,  in  Switzerland  it  found 
security  in  the  ramparts  of  the  little  Republic  of  Geneva, 
in  Scotland  it  was  protected  by  the  feudal  barons,  and 
in  England  it  was  shielded  by  Henry  VIII.  The  powers 
of  Spain  were  bent  upon  crushing  it  to  death.  Philip 
resolved  that  Romanism  should  be  nourished  by  the 
blood  and  ashes  of  Protestantism.  Accordingly  the 


320  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

sword  and  musket  were  put  into  the  hands  of  all  who 
would  fight  against  the  enemies  of  the  Pope  and  the 
Virgin.  Strife  and  revenge  were  now  raging  throughout 
the  land. 

Is  it  strange  that  her  illustrious  scholars  should  dis- 
appear, that  her  genius  should  cease  to  create,  and  her 
muse  to  sing?  Why  marvel  that  her  schools  should 
become  largely  supplanted  by  bull-rings,  her  pen  by  the 
stiletto,  and  that  the  monk,  matador,  and  brigand  should 
become  her  greatest  heroes?  Three  centuries  ago  Spain 
was  the  best  cultivated  country  in  the  world,  but  now 
more  than  half  her  area  is  running  to  waste.  Thousands 
of  acres  of  arable  lands  are  no  longer  turned  by  the  spade 
or  plough.  Her  plains  no  longer  wave  with  corn,  or 
her  hillsides  flow  with  honey,  or  her  pastures  with  milk. 
For  the  most  part  her  people  are  poorly  clad,  scantily  fed, 
and  badly  housed.  Her  beggars  are  multitudinous,  and 
her  idlers  beyond  computation.  Still,  the  Spaniards  are 
not  naturally  indolent  or  stupid,  but  have  keen  percep- 
tion, cordial  sensibility,  and  productive  imagination. 
This  is  made  plain  as  the  cities  and  noble  works  of 
the  past  are  examined.  The  cathedrals  of  Barcelona, 
Saragossa,  Seville,  Granada,  and  Burgos  betoken  lofty 
conception  and  grand  execution.  The  public  buildings 
of  Madrid,  Cordova,  and  Valladolid  are  the  outcome 
of  genius  and  wealth.  The  Alhambra  at  Granada  is 
an  airy  and  unique  structure,  but  purely  Moorish  in  its 
origin. 

Passing  through  the  country  on  the  railroads,  we 
are  surprised  at  the  number  of  curves,  cuts,  and  tunnels. 
But  Spanish  engineering  and  wealth  did  not  construct 


SPAIN.  321 

them;  they  were  built  by  foreign  skill  and  capital. 
We  fall  in  with  any  number  of  priests  and  soldiers,  who 
are  dressed  in  the  richest  vestments.  The  most  popular 
institution  of  Spain  is  the  bull-ring.  This  draws  the 
masses,  and  is  most  discussed.  Do  you  wonder  that 
brigands  should  abound,  requiring  armed  officials  at  the 
depots  and  cautious  protection  in  travelling  through 
the  country?  The  notorious  Cid,  who  played  such  a 
conspicuous  part  in  Spanish  history,  has  to-day  many 
a  cruel  tyrant  following  in  his  trail. 

As  we  visit  New  Castile,  we  look  in  vain  for  the  corn- 
fields. It  must  be  that  poets  and  historians  have  made 
a  mistake  in  picturing  it  so  fair  and  fertile.  The  common 
peasantry  are  diminutive  in  size,  falling  far  short  of 
the  Castilians  of  former  days,  who  are  represented  as 
very  tall  and  handsome. 

The  art-galleries  of  Spain  are  about  her  only  redeem- 
ing possession.  The  one  at  Madrid  containing  so 
many  of  Murillo's  pictures  will  compare  favorably  with 
the  Pitti  at  Florence  or  the  Louvre  in  Paris.  In  nearly 
the  centre  of  New  Castile  is  the  Escurial,  the  largest 
granite  edifice  in  the  world,  erected  by  Philip  II.  at  a 
cost  of  seventy-five  million  dollars.  Here  the  builder 
as  king  lived  where  he  could  hear  the  howl  of  the  tem- 
pest and  the  thunder  of  the  avalanche.  Here  dwelt  the 
man  of  peering  eye,  narrow  forehead,  and  protruding 
jaw,  who  swayed  the  mightiest  sceptre  in  the  time  of 
the  Reformation.  In  this  palace  were  written,  and  out 
of  these  gates  were  despatched,  those  terrible  decrees 
which  caused  the  soil  of  Holland  and  the  Netherlands, 
of  Italy  and  Germany,  to  become  dyed  with  the  blood 

21 


322  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

of  martyrs.  Here  is  the  chair  in  which  he  sat  when  he 
plotted  the  assassination  of  the  Prince  of  Orange,  and 
the  desk  on  which  he  wrote  the  mandate  that  launched 
the  Armada.  No  wonder  that  blast  and  mildew  should 
follow  such  ruling  and  wickedness  ! 

But  in  Old  Castile  the  valleys  are  still  green,  and  oc- 
casionally clusters  of  dandelions  send  up  their  golden 
greeting  of  spring,  while  the  mountain-tops  let  fall  their 
reflection  of  winter's  whitest  robes.  The  most  famous 
town  of  this  region  is  Valladolid,  the  old  capital  of 
Spain.  If  it  once  was  a  city  of  flowers  and  beauty,  it  is 
far  otherwise  now.  Walking  its  streets  at  midday,  one 
is  readily  convinced  that  it  is  well  supplied  with  sun- 
heat.  Its  old  buildings  and  palace  speak  of  better 
days.  Its  streets  are  stirring  with  priests  and  soldiers, 
who  appear  as  if  they  fared  sumptuously  every  day. 
In  the  stores  and  business  places  there  is  little  life. 
Hosts  of  loungers  are  on  every  hand,  clad  in  the  great- 
est variety  of  rags  and  finery ;  they  evidently  believe  in 
patchwork,  and  delight  in  it  too.  Their  feet  are  mostly 
shod  with  sandals  of  untanned  leather,  and  their  heads 
are  crowned  with  anything  and  everything  which  will 
rest  upon  them.  The  ladies  and  gentlemen  in  the  after- 
noon are  sure  to  promenade  the  streets  in  their  trailing 
dresses  and  circular  cloaks. 

Valladolid  has  long  been  noted  for  its  schools.  It 
is  to  Spain  what  Padua  is  to  Italy,  or  Heidelberg 
to  Germany,  or  Edinburgh  to  Scotland.  Its  people 
claim  to  speak  the  purest  Spanish  of  the  country. 
Its  leading  school  is  that  of  the  law,  and  it  has  in 
attendance  some  two  thousand  students.  At  the  lee- 


SPAIN.  323 

tures  they  do  not  appear  as  if  they  were  being  injured 
by  hard  study. 

In  their  Normal  Schools  we  saw  boys  and  girls  all  the 
way  from  six  to  sixteen  years  of  age.  It  is  amusing  to 
observe  their  methods  of  operation.  Four  and  more 
classes  may  be  reciting  at  the  same  time  in  one  room. 
The  leading  qualification  of  the  master  is  physical 
strength.  The  pupils  have  great  fear  of  the  fist  and  the 
birch.  Their  text-books  would  be  judged  suitable  only 
for  a  land  whose  ploughing  is  largely  done  by  the  can- 
non, and  the  reaping  by  the  sword. 

But  this  town  is  not  to  be  sought  so  much  for  cathe- 
dral, church,  or  school,  as  to  visit  spots  made  sacred  by 
heroes  of  the  past.  Let  us  visit  the  Plaza  Maya,  and 
we  find  it  surrounded  by  shops  and  devoted  to  traffic ; 
but  lift  the  veil  of  the  past,  and  in  imagination  look 
upon  this  plaza  Oct.  7,  1544.  A  mass  effaces  fills  the 
whole  space.  It  is  early  morning,  and  the  multitudes 
have  hastened  hither  to  witness  the  death  of  the  first 
Protestant  martyr  in  Spain.  San  Romano  is  led  forth 
from  his  long  and  cruel  imprisonment  amidst  cries  of 
"  Put  him  to  death !  "  He  is  conspicuously  placed  in 
the  presence  of  the  curious  and  barbarous  crowd. 
Priest  and  monk  are  doing  their  best  to  make  the 
condemned  recant.  From  eight  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing till  two  in  the  afternoon  the  expectant  throngs  wait 
and  wait,  that  they  may  see  the  wood  piled  high  about 
Romano,  the  fire  kindled,  and  the  flames  envelop  a 
human  being.  As  the  dying  man  involuntarily  nods 
his  head,  the  monks,  feeling  that  he  is  repentant,  snatch 
him  from  the  flames ;  but  on  recovering  his  breath  he 


324  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

asks,  "Did  you  envy  me  my  happiness?"  and  he  is 
thrust  back  into  the  flames,  and  all  that  is  mortal  of 
the  noble  hero  was  soon  reduced  to  ashes.  Then  his 
persecutors  felt  that  they  had  gained  a  great  victory. 
But  how  was  it  with  Charles  V.  and  his  assistants,  who 
did  this  wicked  deed?  The  blow  which  they  intended 
should  fall  upon  another  came  back  upon  themselves, 
as  has  always  been  the  case  with  persecutors  and  selfish 
demagogues. 

Another  place  that  we  find  of  special  interest  is  the 
house  in  which  Cervantes  lived  while  he  was  writing  and 
publishing  his  extraordinary  "  Don  Quixote."  The 
house  is  now  owned  by  a  literary  society,  and  in  it  are 
preserved  the  works  of  the  gifted  author.  These  memo- 
rials are  significant  because  they  speak  of  a  real  genius 
and  a  worthy  life.  It  appears  as  if  every  gifted  soul 
comes  into  the  world  at  just  the  time  he  is  most 
needed.  In  the  sixteenth  century  Spain  was  largely 
given  to  the  wildest  marvels  of  romance,  even  outvy- 
ing the  strangest  legends  and  wildest  myths  of  ancient 
Greece.  A  fondness  for  knight-errantry  given  to  gi- 
gantic exaggerations  and  overwrought  pictures,  was 
destroying  in  the  country  all  relish  for  reliable  and 
truthful  literature.  This,  together  with  the  reign  of 
Philip  II.,  who  was  devoted  to  the  basest  debauchery 
and  the  most  dogmatic  worship,  was  ruining  Spain. 
How  was  it  possible  to  change  this  order  of  things  and 
save  the  country?  Cervantes  felt  that  it  could  be  done 
only  by  getting  at  the  masses  so  as  to  change  the  cur- 
rent of  their  minds,  and  create  a  relish  for  the  real  and 
true  in  life.  His  astuteness  and  knowledge  of  human 


SPAIN.  325 

nature  pointed  out  the  way.  It  was  to  be  done  by 
exposing  present  errors  and  faults,  illustrating  how  they 
are  to  be  overcome.  Cervantes  was  past  fifty  years  of 
age,  having  had  large  experience  at  home  and  abroad ; 
he  had  been  a  prisoner  for  five  years  in  Algiers;  in 
Andalusia  he  had  gathered  up  much  sprightly  wit  and 
delicate  irony;  in  Seville  he  had  scrutinized  the  small 
sharpers  and  common  pickpockets;  in  La  Mancha  he 
fell  in  with  the  most  striking  contrasts  of  pride  and 
poverty,  substance  and  show. 

At  this  period  the  national  portraiture  of  Spain  was, 
as  now,  strangely  diversified.  Blood  from  the  polished 
Greek,  the  brave  Roman,  the  rude  Moor,  the  daring 
Goth,  and  the  tenacious  Jew  was  flowing  in  the  veins  of 
her  subjects.  Cervantes  had  made  himself  familiar  with 
these  different  characters  by  living  with  them.  In  his 
heroes  he  shows  up  the  extravagances  everywhere  preva- 
lent as  to  the  romance  of  chivalry  and  knight-errantry. 
How  could  he  have  introduced  a  more  fortunate  char- 
acter than  Don  Quixote,  the  hyperbole  of  the  ideal ! 
Through  him  Cervantes  had  the  opportunity  of  exhibit- 
ing the  rich  stores  of  his  own  imagination  and  visions  of 
a  better  future.  Through  the  insanity  of  this  hero  he 
shows  how  easy  it  is  to  mistake  the  ideal  for  the  real  and 
the  reverse.  Then  his  Sancho  comes  in  so  naturally,  to 
express  the  material  side  of  human  existence.  Through 
him  he  exposes  the  foxy,  selfish,  and  envious  actions  of 
the  extremely  passionate.  Cervantes  lived  to  see  his 
classic  fiction  greatly  admired  by  the  most  cultured  in 
his  own  country,  and  since  his  death  it  has  been  trans- 
lated into  all  the  languages  of  Europe.  His  fascinating 


326  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

irony  has  served  to  correct  countless  errors  and  improve 
the  condition  of  millions  of  human  beings. 

Cervantes  came  into  this  world  from  an  obscure 
source ;  he  lived  and  toiled  under  difficulties,  receiving 
but  the  smallest  pecuniary  rewards ;  nevertheless,  his  life 
was  a  grand  success,  continuous  and  cumulative.  The 
place  where  he  dwelt,  the  things  he  handled,  the  works 
he  wrought,  grow  more  sacred  as  the  years  roll  on, 
proving  that  it  is  mind  which  lives  and  makes  live. 

Still  another  object  of  peculiar  and  touching  interest 
to  an  American  is  the  house  in  which  Columbus  died. 
As  we  inspect  the  room  in  which  the  illustrious  man 
breathed  his  last,  the  very  floor,  walls,  and  ceiling  seem 
to  speak  of  the  elements  which  entered  into  the  com- 
position of  that  grand  character;  and  how  he  was 
prompted  by  the  loftiest  aspirations,  leading  him  to  ven- 
ture and  explore.  So  on  the  3d  of  August,  1492,  he 
set  sail  from  Palos  with  a  motley  crew,  the  best  he  could 
obtain,  to  discover  new  lands  in  the  far  west.  He  had 
a  troublesome  voyage ;  but  in  spite  of  mutinous  sailors, 
leaky  ships,  and  rough  seas,  victory  came  with  fullest 
joy  on  that  October  morning,  as  his  eye  surely  caught 
sight  of  land  and  the  new  world  was  revealed.  As  he 
returned  home,  no  wonder  that  bells  should  ring  and 
greatest  honors  should  be  paid  him  who  had  accom- 
plished such  signal  results.  But  at  length,  through 
envy  and  extreme  selfishness,  fortune  changed;  the 
great  discoverer  had  not  entered  the  right  gate  for 
lasting  prosperity.  So  he  was  deprived  of  his  rights, 
and  during  the  last  years  of  his  life  he  suffered  for 
the  want  of  comforts;  even  the  Spaniards  came  to 


SPAIN.  327 

hold  him  in  disrepute,  and  thus  his  name  in  this  coun- 
try is  not  held  sacred.  The  house  which  he  last  oc- 
cupied, built  of  brick  and  roofed  with  tiling,  is  used 
for  stabling  cows  and  sheltering  beggars.  If  the  house 
were  in  our  country,  it  would  be  counted  sacred,  like 
the  old  home  at  Mount  Vernon.  Even  if  the  brick 
composing  the  walls  were  in  America,  they  would  be 
regarded  as  invaluable,  and  would  be  piled  into  a  me- 
morial, to  express  reverence  for  one  of  the  world's 
greatest  heroes. 

It  would  seem  that  Spain  is  about  as  low  as  she  can 
be.  Sixty  per  cent  of  her  adult  population  cannot  read. 
What  a  blessing  it  would  be  to  the  nations  if  she  could 
be  redeemed,  shedding  the  light  that  she  did  three  cen- 
turies ago  !  But  this  cannot  be,  as  long  as  she  remains 
so  burdened  with  priests  and  soldiers.  Nature  has  done 
her  part  to  render  the  country  attractive  and  flourishing. 
Her  past  shows  that  she  was  designed  to  be  a  land  of 
schools,  poets,  and  explorers.  We  can  but  hope  some 
good  fortune  may  reverse  her  tendency,  making  her 
once  more  a  bright  light  among  the  most  enlightened 
countries. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

LONDON. 

THE  great  Herschel  judged  London  to  be  really  the 
centre  of  the  globe,  and  this  may  account  for  the 
fact  that  it  is  the  largest  city  of  the  world.  As  all 
the  roads  led  to  Rome  when  she  was  mistress  of  all 
realms,  so  all  the  great  highways  of  commerce  centre  in 
London.  At  the  last  census  it  was  spreading  over  an 
area  having  a  radius  of  fifteen  miles,  with  a  population 
of  four  and  a  half  millions,  enough  to  form  a  line,  should 
they  be  placed  side  by  side,  reaching  from  Boston  to 
Chicago.  It  has  an  annual  increase  of  forty-five  thou- 
sand. At  this  rate,  a  century  hence,  it  will  have  a  popu- 
lation of  nearly  a  billion.  It  contains  more  Roman 
Catholics  than  the  capital  of  Italy,  more  Jews  than 
Palestine,  half  as  many  Scotchmen  as  Edinburgh,  and 
two  thirds  as  many  Irishmen  as  Dublin.  It  is  estimated 
that  eight  hundred  thousand  persons  and  seventy  thou- 
sand vehicles  enter  Old  London  and  go  out  of  it  daily. 
It  has  seven  hundred  thousand  houses,  which,  should 
they  be  placed  end  to  end,  would  extend  across  the  At- 
lantic Ocean  in  the  widest  part.  Its  streets  arranged 
in  one  continuous  line  would  make  a  road  three  thou- 
sand miles  long.  The  inhabitants  consume  yearly  four 
million  barrels  of  flour;  twenty-five  hundred  miles  of 
oxen,  should  they  be  joined  together;  sheep,  calves, 


MANSION     HOUSE     AND     QUEEN    VICTORIA    STREET,     LONDON. 


LONDON.  329 

and  hogs  sufficient  to  border  the  whole  seacoast  of 
Great  Britain ;  poultry  and  game  enough  to  cover  the 
surface  of  Rhode  Island;  and  fish  equal  to  half  the 
weight  of  Bunker  Hill  Monument.  As  we  ride  through 
its  principal  thoroughfares  at  midday,  we  can  but  marvel 
at  the  amount  of  vitalized  human  matter  thronging  the 
streets,  and  ask  ourselves,  How  are  all  its  wants  sup- 
plied? The  high  and  low,  the  cultivated  and  illiterate, 
mingle  together.  Really  there  are  more  mendicants, 
according  to  the  population,  than  are  to  be  seen  in 
Cairo  or  Madrid;  and  yet  crumbs  must  fall  from  the 
board  of  the  rich  to  keep  them  alive,  for  they  have  no 
means  of  earning  even  the  salt  they  eat. 

The  mansions  here  are  many  and  grand,  but  the 
hovels  are  more  in  number.  The  magnificent  mansions 
fronting  Oxford  Street  or  Hyde  Park  are  likely  to  have 
miserable  huts  in  their  rear.  London  is  a  city  of 
striking  odds  and  incessant  surprises.  Victoria  may 
pass  you  with  her  splendid  retinue,  and  the  next  mo- 
ment you  may  be  crowded  upon  by  throngs  of  vagrants, 
ragged  and  begging  for  bread ;  or  bands  of  would-be 
rioters,  if  they  dared,  will  come  rushing  along  with 
fiercest  eyes  and  distorted  faces,  raging  against  the 
opulent.  Vice  and  crime  abound  in  this  city  in  the 
ratio  of  its  vastness  and  wealth.  But  this  does  not 
seem  so  strange,  when  the  fact  comes  to  mind  that 
there  is  more  drunkenness  here,  according  to  the  num- 
ber of  people,  than  in  any  other  city  on  the  globe. 
Why,  the  Londoners  consume  annually  a  million  and  a 
half  barrels  of  malt  liquor,  two  hundred  and  fifty  thou- 
sand barrels  of  wines,  and  a  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 


330  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

barrels  of  spirits !  The  police  courts  have  business  in 
abundance  six  days  out  of  seven,  and  as  many  females 
as  males  are  arraigned.  The  houses  of  correction, 
lobby-jails,  and  prisons  are  on  a  large  scale,  but  crowded 
full.  On  Sunday  the  saloons  are  obliged  to  be  closed 
during  the  regular  religious  services,  but  are  wide  open 
as  the  church  doors  are  closed ;  and  oh  how  the  peo- 
ple rush  for  the  saloons !  Theology  and  alcohol  are 
speedily  mixed  together. 

But  London,  in  spite  of  its  vastness  and  corruption, 
is  an  orderly  city.  Its  thousand  churches  do  not  labor 
in  vain.  The  temperament  here  is  religious,  and  the 
pulse  beats  in  favor  of  Christianity.  The  influence  of 
Arundel,  Becket,  Latimer,  Cranmer,  and  Butler  is  far- 
reaching  and  disseminating.  The  Wesleys,  Foxes, 
Whitefields,  Kingsleys,  Robertsons,  and  Stanleys  have 
wrought  deeply  into  hearts.  Then  the  living  clergy 
are  not  inferior  to  the  departed.  Parker,  Liddon,  Spur- 
geon,  Farrar,  Brooke,  and  others  are  doing  their  best 
for  the  spread  of  the  Gospel.  The  periodicals,  schools, 
museums,  aVt-galleries,  and  benevolent  associations  of 
the  city  are  dispensing  saving  blessings. 

In  name  England  is  a  monarchy,  but  in  reality  she 
is  a  republic.  Victoria  is  queen  by  title,  but  in  ideas 
the  people  rule.  By  no  means  would  we  imply  that  the 
Queen  is  a  nonentity  or  a  mere  abstraction;  it  is  far 
otherwise.  The  fact  that  she  has  been  upon  the  throne 
fifty  years  and  that  the  country  has  prospered  during 
her  reign,  is  sufficient  proof  of  her  ability ;  for  more 
ability  is  required  to  retain  the  throne  than  to  obtain  it. 
She  appears  as  if  she  enjoyed  her  situation.  She 


LONDON.  331 

spends  the  winter  at  Osborne  Palace,  the  spring  and 
autumn  at  Windsor  Castle,  and  the  summer  at  Balmo- 
ral Chateau.  Her  main  state  duties  are  to  sign  docu- 
ments or  veto  the  appointment  of  bishops,  and  receive 
a  daily  letter  from  the  Premier  while  Parliament  is  in 
session.  She  holds  in  highest  esteem  the  Duke  of 
Richmond,  and  regards  Mr.  Gladstone  as  a  great  states- 
man. Her  annual  income  from  the  Government  is  two 
million  dollars,  besides  nearly  the  same  amount  which 
is  paid  to  her  children.  She  is  generous,  and  can  well 
afford  to  be.  The  poor  people  especially  love  their 
queen.  When  she  passes  from  earth,  her  name  is  quite 
certain  to  be  written  highest  on  the  scroll  of  honor 
among  the  sovereigns  of  England. 

But  the  most  admired  and  the  most  despised  char- 
acter of  England  to-day  is  William  E.  Gladstone,  an 
accomplished  scholar,  a  great  diplomatist,  a  wise  states- 
man, a  distinguished  orator,  a  fine  rhetorician,  and  a 
gifted  financier.  He  is  of  unblemished  character,  and 
of  decided  moral  strength  and  religious  faith.  He 
seems  to  be  the  man  raised  up  for  British  emergencies. 
He  understands  English  politics  and  English  society. 
Although  he  has  seen  fourscore  years,  he  is  well 
preserved  and  is  declared  to  accomplish  more  work 
in  a  given  time  than  any  other  public  man  of  the 
country.  He  believes  that  every  one  born  into  this 
world,  whether  an  Indian,  Mussulman,  Egyptian,  Az- 
tec, or  Irishman,  is  capable  of  being  educated  so  as 
to  become  a  free  citizen.  For  this  reason  he  has  en- 
listed himself  in  removing  from  Ireland  the  wrongs 
imposed  upon  her  by  England;  and  like  every  great 


332  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

agitator  and  reformer,  he  is  being  supremely  loved  by 
his  followers  and  supremely  censured  by  his  opposers. 
Still,  at  heart  all  believe  in  the  man,  and  know  that 
the  cause  which  he  has  espoused,  if  not  successful  at 
once,  will  be  so  at  no  distant  period.  As  he  came 
into  London  the  other  day  to  attend  Parliament,  mul- 
titudes met  him  at  the  station  and  escorted  him  to 
his  hotel.  As  in  old  Roman  times,  many  desired  to 
carry  him  on  their  shoulders  and  parade  him  through 
the  streets,  but  the  great  good  man  declined  any  such 
publicity.  No  other  could  receive  greater  homage 
than  is  paid  Mr.  Gladstone  by  the  middle  and  lower 
classes,  by  the  leading  clergy  and  philanthropists.  It 
is  true  that  aristocratic  Oxford,  many  of  the  Estab- 
lished Churchmen,  and  army  officials  treat  him  with 
coolness  and  sometimes  with  contempt,  because,  as 
they  feel,  he  has  stepped  down  among  the  common 
people.  Their  ideal  man  is  a  stanch  aristocrat.  They 
would  have  the  gap  between  the  Crown  and  the  laborer 
as  wide  as  possible.  The  noble  statesman  sees  distinctly 
the  fallacy  of  such  an  idea,  and  is  fully  aware  that  Eng- 
land could  not  long  survive  under  any  such  regime. 
He  is  fully  persuaded  that  the  class-system  has  been 
pushed  too  far,  —  so  far  that  the  country  is  experiencing 
a  reaction  and  a  grinding  depression  in  business.  If 
England  has  immense  concentrated  wealth,  she  has 
enormous,  wide-spreading  poverty.  While  the  rich 
have  become  richer,  the  poor  have  become  poorer. 
Mr.  Gladstone  fervently  loves  his  native  land,  —  the 
land  of  Shakspeare  and  Milton,  of  Peel  and  Welling- 
ton, of  Wilberforce  and  Howard, —  and  so  he  is  doing 


LONDON.  333 

his  utmost  to  turn  the  current  of  present  tendencies  into 
higher  channels.  Therefore  he  pleads  for  the  Home 
Rule  of  Ireland,  for  universal  education,  and  the  eleva- 
tion of  the  whole  people.  His  ability,  culture,  large 
experience,  and  present  standing  fit  him  to  be  the  fore- 
most man  of  England  at  the  present  time.  As  we  have 
heard  him  in  Parliament,  he  has  shown  himself  a  greater 
thinker,  logician,  and  orator  than  we  anticipated.  Let 
his  principles  prevail,  and  this  most  powerful  country 
and  largest  city  of  the  world  will  be  borne  safely  be- 
tween Scylla  and  Charybdis,  and  the  feudal  system  of 
land-ownership  will  be  done  away,  and  the  people  will 
become  the  landlords  of  the  British  soil.  Then  it 
will  be  safe  for  London  to  grow,  and  English  subjects 
to  multiply,  for  every  man  will  have  the  opportunity  of 
becoming  more  of  a  man.  The  lower  classes  will  no 
longer  be  kept  in  the  ditch  and  the  hovel  from  neces- 
sity, but  hope  will  cheer  them  onward,  and  the  nation 
will  prosper  and  will  send  out  a  benign  influence  in 
behalf  of  the  highest  culture  and  the  best  civilization. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

FROM  LONDON  THROUGH   IRELAND. 

r  I  ^HE  longer  one  tarries  in  London  the  more  he  feels 
his  ignorance  of  the  tremendous  metropolis.  It 
is  an  incomprehensible  compound  of  all  kinds  of  people 
and  all  sorts  of  things.  If  history  reveals  what  it  has 
been,  no  prophet  can  tell  what  it  will  be.  Already  it  is 
the  largest  city  there  ever  has  been.  Having  spent  at 
intervals  six  months  in  it  at  sight-seeing,  we  feel  ready 
to  admit  that  it  wears  an  aspect  of  having  been  built 
for  the  ages. 

Coming  out  of  the  din  and  the  roar  of  the  great  city 
into  the  quiet  of  the  country,  how  strange  everything 
seems  !  The  fog  has  disappeared  ;  a  sheen  of  sunlight 
is  thrown  over  the  face  of  Nature;  the  air  is  so  clear 
that  the  eye  is  unconscious  of  space.  In  the  open 
country  it  is  mostly  Nature ;  in  the  city  it  was  mostly 
man.  How  true  it  is  that  God  works  in  stillness,  but 
man  bustles !  The  gearing  of  the  universe  runs  noise- 
lessly, but  artificial  machinery  creaks. 

As  the  train  speeds  across  the  plains  and  through 
the  valleys,  the  landscape  views  are  entrancing.  The 
meadows  are  green,  and  hedged  with  hawthorn;  the 
wheat  is  promising;  the  cattle  and  sheep  are  feeding 
the  pastures.  Farmhouses  dot  the  lands;  stately  oaks 
and  elms  are  scattered  here  and  there.  The  train 


FROM   LONDON  THROUGH   IRELAND.  335 

whizzes  by  thriving  hamlets,  and  occasionally  halts  at 
the  larger  towns.  In  Chester  we  recall  pleasant  expe- 
riences in  tracing  its  walls  and  inspecting  the  grounds 
where  the  old  Roman  pitched  his  tent  and  kindled  his 
camp-fires.  Not  far  on  we  sight  the  rural  home  of  the 
venerable  Gladstone,  crowning  the  hills  and  environed 
with  stately  trees.  The  course  now  is  along  the  river 
Dee,  and  soon  by  the  arm  of  the  sea.  On  the  left  are 
the  ribby,  broken,  and  wooded  lands  of  Wales.  On 
several  of  the  prominences  are  the  ruins  of  massive 
castles  telling  of  feudal  lords  and  battle-scenes.  After 
a  speedy  trip  the  train  stops  at  Holyhead,  and  quickly 
the  passengers  and  baggage  are  transferred  to  the 
"  Rose,"  the  swiftest  steamer  crossing  the  channel  to 
the  Emerald  Isle.  A  jollier  crew  seldom  rides  on  these 
waters  than  the  one  on  board.  Puns  and  jokes  drop 
fast  from  Irish  lips  as  the  wheel  rolls  round  and  drives 
the  ship  to  sea.  Soon  the  mist  gathers  thick,  and  the 
waves  splash  against  the  vessel.  Some  of  the  passen- 
gers have  planted  themselves  on  the  deck  with  the  re- 
solve to  stay,  let  what  will  betide.  However,  it  is  not 
long  before  one  after  another  of  a  sudden  starts  on 
a  rush  below,  anxious  to  become  prostrate  at  once. 
Before  long  the  sea  asserts  its  right  to  wash  the  deck, 
and  so  those  who  are  brave  and  true  to  resolutions 
formed  are  of  a  sudden  all  immersionists,  for  surely 
they  have  been  under  the  water.  Now  follows  a  tirade 
of  ejaculations  and  an  emphatic  demonstration  of  pedi- 
mental  and  stomachical  propositions.  Still,  there  is  one 
son  of  Erin,  a  wit  and  a  wag,  who  laughs  at  the  idea 
of  giving  up  to  Neptune ;  but  the  sea  is  choppy  and 


33<5  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

wrenching,  and  so  the  red-headed  bravado  becomes 
perfectly  silent,  looking  straight  up  into  the  fog  as  if 
he  had  decided  longings  for  sunshine,  and  all  at  once 
he  turns  his  face  to  the  sea,  bowing  and  straining  as  if 
he  were  afraid  he  should  not  give  full  homage  to  the 
god  of  the  deep.  His  offering  is  long  and  voluminous ; 
and  when  it  is  finished,  he  stretches  himself  upon  the 
deck,  looking  as  if  he  were  quite  ready  to  depart  hence. 

As  the  steamer  nears  the  coast,  lighthouses  give  forth 
their  signals,  and  as  the  mouth  of  the  Arma  Liffey  River 
is  entered,  gas-jets  flare  their  lights,  giving  brilliant 
greeting  to  all  entering  the  great  port  of  Ireland.  In 
half  an  hour  the  vessel  is  by  the  wharf  "  of  sweet  Dublin 
with  the  sky  above  it."  In  a  few  moments  we  are  riding 
in  a  jaunty  over  stone  pavements  among  substantial 
buildings,  under  the  flaming  stars. 

A  quarter  of  a  century  ago  we  traversed  these  streets, 
visited  the  places  of  special  interest,  and  patiently  lis- 
tened to  the  quaint  and  spontaneous  sayings  of  hack- 
men  and  venders  at  the  corners  of  the  streets.  But  how 
changed  now!  The  facial  expressions  and  tones  of 
voice  imply  that  their  hearts  are  burdened.  How  could 
it  be  otherwise ;  for  within  the  last  few  years  it  is  esti- 
mated that  more  than  half  of  the  population  of  the 
country  has  emigrated  to  foreign  lands?  As  we  revisit 
familiar  places,  we  find  them  greatly  changed.  There 
is  nothing  of  the  stir  and  enterprise  of  twenty-five  years 
ago.  It  is  true  that  Trinity  College  is  still  here,  but 
it  is  losing  its  patronage.  The  Normal  School  is  in 
operation,  doing  excellent  work,  but  its  numbers  have 
greatly  fallen  off.  The  Botanical  Garden  remains  beau- 


FROM   LONDON  THROUGH   IRELAND.  337 

tiful.  Sackville  Avenue,  one  of  the  finest  in  Europe,  is 
still  adorned  with  the  column  of  Wellington  and  the 
unique  statue  of  the  poet  Gray.  Glasnevin  Cemetery, 
where  lie  buried  the  ashes  of  O'Connell,  Steele,  and 
Burke,  is  the  same  "  Silent  City,"  being  far  more  thickly 
populated.  The  grand  Phoenix  Park  is  diversified  as  of 
yore  with  walks,  groves,  gardens,  and  sporting  fields. 
Dublin  is  an  interesting  city,  having  among  its  three 
hundred  thousand  inhabitants  not  a  few  most  intelligent 
and  cultivated  people. 

Passing  southward,  we  are  struck  with  surprise  at  the 
sparsity  of  population.  For  miles  we  ride  and  do  not 
see  a  settlement,  where  formerly  we  saw  hundreds  and 
thousands  of  homes,  where  families  were  living  and  cul- 
tivating the  little  farms.  Hosts  of  hands  were  then  busy 
cutting  the  grass  or  digging  potatoes.  The  cows  were 
sleek  and  the  cossets  fat,  the  fowls  plentiful,  and  the 
swine  had  enough  to  eat.  The  highlands  and  lowlands 
then  were  swarming  with  active  life.  Now  in  places  the 
land  seems  to  be  turned  into  pastures,  growing  up  to  un- 
derbrush. Many  of  the  landlords  who  were  rich  are  im- 
poverished. A  few  of  the  larger  towns  may  be  holding 
their  own,  but  the  country  at  large  is  becoming  desolate. 

The  history  of  Ireland  implies  that  it  was  to  be  a 
"land  of  destiny;"  and  such  thus  far  it  certainly  has 
been.  It  has  been  a  land  of  evolution  and  revolution. 
Its  ups  and  downs  have  followed  in  quick  succession, 
and  the  question  presses  itself,  Is  it  always  to  be  thus? 
Present  indications  are  to  the  contrary.  The  British 
Government  has  not  been  altogether  opposed  to  Ire- 
land, as  is  often  represented,  especially  since  Mr.  Glad- 

22 


338  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

stone  was  first  made  Premier.  In  1833  church  sales 
were  abolished;  in  1857,  turnpike  tolls;  the  vestry  tax, 
in  1864.  Since  then  the  Land  Law  preventing  evictions 
by  landlords  without  compensation  to  tenants,  and  the 
disestablishment  of  the  Episcopal  Church  have  taken 
place,  and  now  the  Home  Rule  Bill  is  before  the  people. 
The  best  minds  of  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland,  led 
by  Mr.  Gladstone,  know  that  they  are  asking  in  this 
grant  no  more  than  what  is  right.  Should  this  not 
be  allowed,  it  would  bring  lasting  contempt  upon  the 
English  Government. 

It  is  true  the  Irish  people  are  peculiar,  and  too  much 
given  to  disturbances  among  themselves.  The  present 
stock  sprang  from  two  sources,  —  the  Celts  who  crossed 
from  Spain,  and  the  Saxons  who  came  through  England 
from  Denmark.  The  former  were  full  of  phosphorus 
and  flashing  wit,  fond  of  sport  and  unwilling  to  work ; 
while  the  later  were  serious  and  stable,  liking  labor  and 
coveting  honors.  These  bloods  have  so  commingled 
as  to  produce  a  people  mentally  active  and  religiously 
devout,  given  to  humor,  poetry,  and  eloquence.  Its 
O'Connells,  Moores,  Currans,  Swifts,  and  Whatelys 
prove  this  true. 

The  island  is  as  the  richest  emerald  set  on  the  bosom 
of  the  sea  under  the  fairest  light.  No  wonder  it  was 
early  sought  by  birds,  deer,  and  human  beings.  It  is 
full  of  enchantment.  As  we  inspect  its  lakes,  mountains, 
and  Giant's  Causeway,  we  are  moved  to  say,  Beautiful, 
sublime,  and  grand  !  The  lakes  of  Killarney  are  larger 
than  the  English  lakes,  not  so  wild  as  the  Scotch, 
more  placid  than  the  Swiss,  and  more  romantic  than 


FROM   LONDON  THROUGH   IRELAND.  339 

the  Italian.  County  Kerry  is  the  Switzerland  of  Ire- 
land. Its  lakes,  woods,  fields,  and  highlands  so  blend 
as  to  delight  the  most  fastidious  eye.  The  ruins  of 
Muckross  Abbey,  close  upon  the  lake-shore,  add  greatly 
to  the  fascinations  of  Killarney.  It  was  built  four  cen- 
turies ago  by  Franciscan  monks  as  a  fit  burial-place  for 
Irish  kings.  The  ivy  and  myrtle  are  hanging  their 
mantles  of  green  over  wall  and  tomb.  The  lakes  are 
three  in  number,  twelve  miles  in  length,  combined. 
These  are  dotted  with  islands  of  a  green  surface  and 
bald  rocks.  The  sides  of  the  mountains  are  wooded, 
but  the  summits  are  bare.  All  this  region  is  owned  by 
two  landlords,  who  control  it  as  they  please.  While  we 
enjoy  this  scenery  more  than  words  can  depict,  we  are 
made  sad  at  the  prevailing  poverty,  wherever  we  fall  in 
with  the  people  of  the  country.  In  the  village  of  Kil- 
larney the  men,  women,  and  children  are  clad  in  rags, 
and  are  actually  suffering  for  the  necessaries  of  life. 
The  rentals  of  the  land  are  so  high  that  they  cannot 
raise  from  it  enough  to  pay  the  taxes  and  support 
themselves.  While  the  lake  scenery  of  Killarney  will 
be  remembered  as  exquisitely  beautiful,  still  it  will  be 
overcast  with  a  pall,  expressive  of  suffering  humanity. 

In  Cork  we  find  a  busy,  stirring  city,  situated  on  the 
river  Lee,  with  picturesque  surroundings.  It  wears  the 
appearance  of  a  new  town ;  still,  it  has  dates  running 
back  to  the  ninth  century.  The  people  boast  of  its 
extreme  age,  and  from  their  fluency  of  speech  in  ex- 
tolling it,  you  would  judge  they  had  all  kissed  the 
Blarney  stone,  which  is  only  five  miles  away.  This 
stone  is  near  an  old  castle,  and  is  famous  for  imparting 


340  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

glibness  of  tongue  to  all  who  kiss  it.  So  it  must  be  that 
most  of  the  Irish  have  performed  the  feat.  The  ques- 
tion is  asked,  "  What  does  it  do  to  one  who  puts  his 
lips  to  it?  "  "  And  shurely  it  taiches  him  policy,"  says 
Pat.  "What  do  you  mean  by  policy?"  asks  the  gentle- 
man. "  Why,  saying  one  thing  and  maning  another." 

A  few  mijes'  ride  down  the  river  lands  us  in  Queens- 
town,  built  upon  a  steep  side-hill,  overlooking  the  bay. 
From  the  water  it  presents  a  fairy-like  appearance.  Its 
cathedral,  churches,  and  houses  are  airy  and  commo- 
dious. It  is  a  seaside  retreat  in  summer  and  winter. 
Were  it  not  for  its  swarms  of  beggars,  it  would  be  an 
enticing  resort.  Were  it  not  for  money  sent  from 
America,  nearly  all  of  the  aged  here  would  be  beggars 
in  the  street.  Though  they  love  dear  old  Ireland  and 
wish  to  die  in  it,  still  they  hold  our  country  as  the  land 
of  the  blest.  But  in  spite  of  the  poverty,  wit  flashes 
now  and  then  as  fresh  as  of  yore.  So  a  gouty  English- 
man must  have  felt,  as  he  was  passing  a  stand  where  a 
poor  woman  was  selling  some  fruit.  She  darted  in  front 
of  him,  begging  him  to  buy.  He  pushed  her  aside,  say- 
ing, "  Out  of  the  way !  "  She  dodged  in  front  of  him 
once  more,  importuning  him  to.  buy;  but  he  lifted  his 
cane  as  in  the  act  to  strike,  reiterating,  "  Out  of  the 
way !  "  Upon  this  the  woman  cried  aloud  as  in  grief, 
"  La  me !  would  that  your  conscience  was  as  tender  as 
your  toes,  and  you  would  be  after  buying  some  fruit  of 
the  poor  woman  !  " 

But  the  steamer  is  in  the  roadstead  waiting  for  pas- 
sengers bound  for  America;  so  we  bid  adieu  to  the 
"  Land  of  Destiny,"  with  all  its  charms  and  misfortunes. 


THE    LAKES    OF    KILLARNEY. 


CHAPTER    XV. 

NEARING  HOME. 

EASTERN  lands  are  left  behind,  and  we  are  really 
once  more  on  a  grand  steamer  westward  bound 
across  the  Atlantic.  No  dread  disturbs,  but  joy  thrills 
the  heart.  Our  baggage  arranged  in  the  cabin,  it  is 
pleasant  to  feel  that  it  is  likely  to  remain  free  from 
the  dust  and  clatter  experienced  on  the  railway.  To 
one  who  is  a  good  sailor  the  rocking  and  rolling  of  the 
deep  stimulate  the  mind  in  wakefulness  and  lull  it  in 
drowsiness.  Each  day  brings  change  and  variety,  and 
each  night  sleep  and  rest.  Nevertheless,  it  is  a  common 
remark  of  voyagers  on  the  deep,  "  How  dreary  and 
monotonous  are  the  days  at  sea !  "  To  such  there  are 
no  beauties  of  sky,  no  wondrous  revealings  of  ever- 
moving  waters.  What,  no  beauty  of  sky !  Why,  in  no 
other  part  of  creation  has  the  Great  Architect  displayed 
such  a  diversity  of  splendors  as  in  the  overarching 
azure.  It  is  subject  to  incessant  change.  At  times  it 
is  aglow  from  horizon  to  zenith  with  hazy  warmth  or 
crystal  fire  or  massy  gold ;  or  again  it  is  freckled  with 
fleecy  clouds,  and  stratified  with  layers  of  amethyst, 
onyx,  opal,  and  jasper.  Whence  comes  its  color  of 
blue,  which  is  so  apparent  as  you  gaze  upward,  or  why 
so  transparent  as  you  look  across  land  and  sea?  You 
move  through  the  air  in  calm  as  though  it  were  not  sub- 


342  ROUND  THE  GLOBE. 

stance ;  but  let  the  hurricane  rage,  and  who  can  with- 
stand its  might?  Let  the  typhoon  be  awakened,  and 
the  sky  is  not  color  but  conflagration.  Not  only  during 
the  day  is  constant  beauty  dropping  from  on  high ;  but 
as  night  spreads  her  awning  above,  and  star  after  star 
falls  in  front  of  the  darkness,  what  splendors  are  pic- 
tured !  The  considerate  mind  knows  these  things  do 
not  merely  happen,  and  so  it  cannot  refrain  from  in- 
quiring, who  hangs  them  there?  Who  sets  them  on 
fire  and  keeps  them  apparently  the  same  as  when 
Homer  sang  and  David  struck  his  harp?  To  the 
thoughtful  those  orbs  become  worlds,  peopled  with 
sentient  beings  and  children  of  the  living  God. 

What,  naught  to  be  seen  on  the  broad  ocean !  Just 
peer  into  the  depths,  and  life  is  expressed  everywhere. 
There  is  the  home  of  the  finny  tribes,  and  what  varie- 
ties and  how  countless  they  are !  Corals  build  reefs 
which  serve  to  make  a  Florida,  or  a  Venetian  lagoon. 
Porpoises  leap  from  the  sea  to  express  their  joy.  The 
floor  under  the  sea  is  radiant  with  exquisitely  colored 
shells.  Watch  the  trail  of  the  steamer  as  it  ploughs 
through  the  Persian  Gulf  in  the  clear  hot  night,  and  it 
flashes  and  glows  with  fire !  Standing  on  the  bow  as 
the  sun  is  obliquely  pouring  his  rays,  and  a  beating 
wave  throws  up  a  shower  of  diamonds,  hanging  before 
you  a  whole  coterie  of  rainbows,  can  you  say  that  rid- 
ing on  the  "  vasty  deep  "  is  all  monotony?  Observe 
the  flying  fish  darting  from  wave  to  wave,  and  Mother 
Carey's  chickens  a  thousand  miles  from  shore,  full  of 
glee,  and  can  you  be  so  strange  as  to  declare  there  is 
no  pleasure  or  variety  in  the  seafaring  life? 


NEARING  HOME.  343 

How  can  it  be  otherwise  than  that  you  will  have 
retrospective  seasons,  when  you  must  feel  so  dependent, 
and  realize  yourself  to  be  so  far  from  home?  If  you 
have  travelled  to  some  extent,  are  not  the  galleries  of 
memory  hung  with  many  a  telling  picture?  Are  you 
making  a  voyage  round  the  globe,  and  is  it  nearly  com- 
pleted? Then  Memory,  like  a  pensive  Ruth,  as  she 
wanders  through  harvest  fields,  will  glean  many  a  shock 
of  cqrn  to  sustain  and  gladden  the  heart. 

Is  there  not  profoundest  pleasure  experienced  in  re- 
calling Niagara  Falls,  the  western  prairies,  the  Great 
Mississippi,  the  Rocky  Mountains,  the  Rio  Grande  Pass 
with  its  overawing  canons,  the  Yosemite  Valley,  the 
gigantic  trees  of  Mariposa,  the  experiences  on  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  the  novelties  and  realities  of  Japan, 
the  strange,  funny  things  of  China,  the  temples  and 
tombs  of  India,  the  ruins  of  Babylon  and  Nineveh,  the 
old  cities  and  Pyramids  of  Egypt,  the  sacred  places  of 
Palestine,  the  ruins  of  the  Athenian  Acropolis,  the  dis- 
closures of  Pompeii  and  Vesuvius,  the  tomb  of  Virgil, 
the  home  of  Columbus,  stupendous  London,  and  de- 
pressed Ireland? 

It  is  true,  if  one  is  a  "  bad  sailor,"  and  the  sea  frets 
and  rages,  he  can  realize  at  best  only  bits  of  pleasure, 
caring  little  for  the  past  and  less  for  the  future.  The 
last  steamer  he  is  on,  and  the  last  voyage  made,  are 
likely  to  be  the  worst  of  all,  and  he  declares  it  to  be  his 
last.  There  is  no  help  for  such  a  one  but  to  keep  off 
the  sea.  But  it  is  far  different  with  him  who  can  ride 
on  the  fair  or  stormy  ocean,  going  to  the  table  at  every 
meal  with  a  relish,  and  being  rocked  into  sweet  sleep 


344  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

every  night.  He  is  sure  to  find  travel  delightful,  if  his 
heart  and  head  are  right.  It  is  the  fool  that  only  wan- 
ders; it  is  the  seeker  after  wisdom  that  travels. 

Nearing  home  upon  the  sea,  what  thoughts  are  bound 
to  flood  the  mind !  Of  course  there  must  be  more  or 
less  fear  mingling  with  the  joy,  for  strange  mishaps  are 
certain  to  occur  in  long  absences.  However,  the  ex- 
pected joys  ordinarily  will  exhilarate.  Let  the  review 
of  the  past  away  from  home  be  ever  so  gratifying,  the 
approaching  anticipated  pleasure  will  crowd  it  aside. 
The  expected  meeting  with  the  dear  ones,  and  the  re- 
counting of  their  love  and  devotion,  of  the  united  pray- 
ing and  working,  of  the  social  times  around  the  open 
fire  and  at  the  festive  board,  of  the  looking  into  each 
other's  faces, —  these  and  numberless  other  things  move 
the  mind  and  heart  as  no  foreign  experiences  can.  If 
we  are  going  to  the  old  home,  what  recollections  rush  to 
view !  Every  room  in  the  house  has  its  story  to  tell  of 
joy  or  sorrow.  The  lawn  with  rosebush  and  cherry-tree 
speak  of  sweetest  perfumes  and  reddest  fruit.  The  shed 
and  barn  have  their  tales  of  interest  to  relate.  The 
deep  well  at  the  back-door,  the  fruitful  orchard  on  the 
hillside  and  in  the  hollow,  the  maple  grove  in  the  pas- 
ture, the  singing  of  the  many  birds,  and  the  chattering 
of  squirrels,  all  lend  their  enchantment.  There  the 
sloping  hillsides  across  the  Minewawa,  dotted  with  cot- 
tages and  cut  up  into  mowings,  fields,  and  woods ;  the 
tall  pine,  and  the  crown  of  the  Monadnock,  —  present, 
summer  and  winter,  unsurpassed  views.  There  the  sun- 
rises and  sunsets  outvie  those  of  the  Orient  or  the  Hes- 
perus. The  village,  too,  nestled  in  the  valley,  —  with 


NEARING  HOME.  345 

the  churches,  valuable  library,  so  many  tidy-looking 
houses,  busy  factories  and  mills,  has  charms  for  its 
native-born,  such  as  no  other  place  can  have.  More- 
over, the  "  silent  city"  on  the  hill,  so  thickly  set  with 
memorials,  speaks  of  the  living  beyond  the  "  darkling 
stream."  Really,  the  more  one  experiences  abroad 
the  more  one's  home  and  native  country  is  rendered 
precious. 

Think  of  our  nativity  as  we  may  and  should,  we  know 
its  motes  and  mountains,  its  violets  and  snowy  crystals, 
are  precious  in  the  sight  of  the  All-Wise;  yea,  the 
very  atoms  in  garden  and  field  He  is  converting  into 
emeralds,  amethysts,  and  diamonds.  Were  this  not  so, 
there  would  be  no  green  grass,  no  blue  sky,  nor  white 
lilies.  Why,  then,  should  we  allow  ourselves  to  so  live 
and  so  fail  to  appreciate  as  by  and  by  to  be  unable  to 
tell  angels,  when  asking  somewhat  of  the  beauties  and 
blessings  of  our  earthly  homes?  Let  natural  history, 
botany,  geology,  chemistry,  and  astronomy  do  their 
perfect  work  for  our  people,  and  especially  for  the 
young,  and  they  will  cleave  to  their  native  land,  and 
will  rejoice  to  labor  on  farms,  in  mines  and  woods, 
yea,  anywhere  and  everywhere  that  duty  calls.  Their 
native  home  will  be  the  dearest  spot  on  earth;  and 
though  they  stay  at  the  old  home,  they  will  investi- 
gate, explore  mentally,  and  do  noble  service  for  God 
and  man.  Their  great  aim  in  life  will  be,  not  simply 
to  raise  roofs  of  houses,  but  souls  of  men. 

We  have  been  eight  days  out  from  Queenstown,  and 
an  American  pilot  has  just  boarded  our  steamer.  This 
is  good  news.  We  have  had  a  prosperous  voyage,  and 


346  ROUND  THE   GLOBE. 

are  surely  entering  New  York  harbor.  Quickly  all 
passengers  are  on  the  decks.  Soon  we  are  passing 
Bartholdi's  Statue  of  Liberty.  We  left  America  facing 
the  west,  and  have  come  back  to  it  still  facing  the 
west.  The  inevitable  conclusion  is  that  we  have  rounded 
the  globe,  and  have  travelled  not  less  than  fifty  thou- 
sand miles.  Stepping  on  terra  firma  in  one  of  the 
most  growing  marts  of  the  world,  we  can  but  rejoice 
in  being  able  to  say,  This  is  our  native  land.  As  we 
left  it,  we  felt  it  was  one  of  the  best ;  and  as  we  return 
to  it,  we  can  assert,  with  increased  emphasis,  that  it  is 
the  best  land  of  all,  —  first,  because  of  its  natural  ad- 
vantages ;  second,  because  of  its  free  schools  and  free 
churches;  third,  because  the  people  own  the  houses 
in  which  they  live,  and  the  soil  which  they  till ;  fourth, 
because  the  daughters  stand  on  a  par  with  the  sons; 
fifth,  because  general  intelligence  and  enterprise  pre- 
vail ;  sixth,  because  character,  not  the  purse,  constitutes 
the  real  man. 

Here  Christianity  and  moral  principle  were  so  applied 
as  to  take  our  fathers  safely  through  the  Revolutionary 
War,  and  their  sons  through  the  great  Rebellion,  chang- 
ing the  feeble  colonies  into  a  Republic  of  forty-two  States 
and  nine  Territories  with  a  population  of  sixty  millions. 
The  East  is  looking  to  the  West  for  light  and  assistance. 
Ours  is  the  Republic  of  the  world.  The  most  impor- 
tant question  of  all  time  is  to  be  decided  on  American 
soil;  namely,  Is  self-government  a  possibility?  All 
freedom-loving  citizens  desire  to  have  this  question 
answered  in  the  affirmative,  and  millions  in  foreign 
lands  who  have  caught  the  spirit  of  freedom  earnestly 


NEAR1NG   HOME.  347 

pray  that  it  may  so  prove;  but  aristocrats,  friends  of 
despotism,  and  those  who  claim  to  rule  by  divine 
right  and  ecclesiastical  succession,  abhor  such  an  idea, 
and  are  laboring  with  their  might  to  crush  it  into  the 
dust.  So  we  need  to  take  careful  heed  as  to  the  foun- 
dations on  which  our  Government  stands,  and  suffer  no 
wrongs  engendered  at  home  or  brought  from  abroad 
to  tear  out  and  demolish  the  bases  of  our  State  fabric. 
If  the  followers  of  Allah,  or  Brahm,  or  Buddha,  or  Baal 
come  to  this  country,  they  should  be  permitted  to  enter 
it  only  on  the  condition  that  they  will  work  for  univer- 
sal education,  for  duality  of  marriage,  against  priestcraft 
and  sectarianism,  against  the  saloon,  the  great  enemy  to 
liberty,  and  the  many  vices  which  are  striking  death- 
blows to  freedom  and  our  Republic.  It  is  the  loving 
John,  not  the  avaricious  Judas,  that  preserves  the  Re- 
public. God  and  duty  must  be  supreme  here,  not 
Caesar  collecting  unjust  dues.  The  Pilgrim  Fathers 
soon  after  landing  on  Plymouth  Rock  set  up  the  school 
and  the  church  as  co-workers ;  we  must  take  heed  that 
Christianity  and  education  are  not  divorced  in  this  age 
of  Mammon,  or  else  we  shall  fall  a  prey  to  demagogism 
and  treachery.  Keep  the  home  inviolate,  the  Christian 
church,  public  school,  and  college  active,  and  the  evil 
so  threatening  will  be  overcome  with  good  ;  and  Amer- 
ica will  send  across  the  Atlantic  and  the  Pacific  to  all 
other  lands  the  assurances  of  the  worth  of  a  republican 
government  in  producing  cultured  and  Christian  men 
and  women. 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Aztecs i 

An  Irishman  on  the  Cars 39 

Across  the  Pacific 63 

Ainos 81 

Asakusa  Temple 121 

Aground  in  Pearl  River 159 

Along  the  Ganges 209 

Agra  and  Taj  Mahal 219 

Aden 265 

Alexandria 277 

Athens 307 

Acropolis  of  Athens 308 

Across  the  Atlantic 341 

Boston i 

Brigham  Young 31 

Big  Trees  of  Mariposa 48 

Birds  of  Japan 79 

Buddhism 92,  125 

Benares  and  Sights  by  the  Ganges 211 

Botanical  Garden  of  Jeypoor  . 231 

Bombay 232 

Bunder  Abbas  and  Bushire 244,  246 

Bussorah 247 

Babylon  and  its  Ruins 249 

Bagdad,  the  City  of  Caliphs   . 259 

Bahrein  and  Pearl  Fisheries 263 

Baalbek  and  Ruins 295 


350  INDEX. 

PAGE 

Battle  of  Salamis 3°7 

Blarney  Stone 339 

Concord 3 

Connecticut  River 4 

Canton  University 9 

Canada 12 

Chicago 14 

Colorado  Lands  and  Mining 20-30 

City  of  Gunnison 27 

Coach-ride  to  the  Yosemite 45 

China 156,  171 

Canton  and  its  Curiosities 157 

Criminals  in  China 168 

Chinese  living  in  Boats 168 

Chinese  School  and  Competitive  Examinations     .     .     .       167,  174 

Chinese  Language •  .     .  173 

Ceylon  and  its  Capital 188 

Calcutta  and  Sights 199 

Cremation  Scene 204 

Cawnpore  and  Mutiny  of  1857-1858 218 

Coast  of  Arabia 264 

Cairo  and  Scenes 270 

Cervantes  and  his  Home 324 

Cork  and  its  Loquacious  People . 339 

Davenport  and  Soldiers' Gathering 17 

Des  Moines  and  University 18 

Denver,  a  Remarkable  City 20 

Dai  Butsu 91 

Diamond  Harbor 198 

'  Delhi  and  Street  Scene 222 

Down  the  Tigris  on  a  Raft 258 

Damascus 293 

Dublin  as  it  is  and  as  it  was 336 

Edison 12 

Experience  in  a  Typhoon 71 


INDEX.  351 

PAGB 

Entering  Harbor  of  Yokohama 74 

Empire  of  China 172 

Elephanta  Island 240 

Euphrates  River  and  Old  Cities 248 

Egypt 279 

Ephesus  and  its  Ruins 297 

Fitchburg 3 

Fatal  Bridge 6 

From  Wawona  to  the  Yosemite 51 

Fields  and  Pastures  of  Japan 78 

Funeral  Procession 165 

Farming  in  China 180 

From  Joppa  to  Jerusalem 282 

Foundation  of  our  Government 347 

Green  Mountains 5 

Golden  Gate 64 

Gulf  of  Suez 267 

Greece  and  Athens 305 

Gladstone 331 

Harbor  of  Kobd 152 

Hindrance  to  Christianity  in  Japan 154 

Hong  Kong 156 

Hotel  Accommodations  in  Canton 160 

Hoogly  River 197 

History  of  India 222 

Hillah 251 

Home  Rule  in  Ireland 333 

How  to  appreciate  our  Land 345 

Iowa *8 

lyiyasu  and  his  Tomb 100,  129 

Italy 312 

Ireland  and  People 337,  33$ 

Japan  and  the  Japanese 76,  109,  in 

Jinrikishas 84 


352  INDEX. 

PAGE 

Jumna  River  and  Country 221 

Jumna  Musjid  Mosque 224 

Jeypoor  and  Street  Scenes 227 

Jeddah 266 

Jerusalem  Described 284 

Keene 4 

Kamakura 95 

Kobd  and  Surroundings 137 

Kioto  and  Temples 145 

Kandy,  a  Quaint  City 194 

Kerbella  and  Graves 255 

Lake  Champlain 7 

La  Salle  and  Works 16 

Labor  in  India 206 

Lucknow  and  Mutiny  of  1857-1858 216 

London 328 

Lakes  of  Killarney 338 

Landing  in  New  York 346 

Malone 8 

Michigan 13 

Mississippi  River 16 

Marshall  Pass 26 

Mormon  Woman 42 

Minarets  of  Japan 79 

Mikado's  Birthday 101 

Missionary  Work  in  Kioto 149 

Markets  of  Canton 171 

Mosul  and  People 258 

Muscat  in  the  midst  of  Rocks 264 

Mount  Sinai 266 

Memphis  and  Pyramids  of  Sahara 274 

Mars  Hill 308 

Malta  and  Knight  Heraldry 315 

Niagara  Falls 10 

Nebraska  and  Nevada 19,  38 


INDEX.  353 

PAGE 

Nikko  and  Temples I27 

Nineveh  and  Ruins 257 

Nile 268 

Nablous  to  Nazareth 290,  292 

Naples  and  Pompeii 313 

Nearing  Home 344 

Omaha 19 

Ogden  and  Mining  Stocks 38 

Oakland  and  Schools 64 

Osaka 142 

On,  or  Heliopolis 270 

Port  Huron 12 

Pueblo,  the  Garden  City 24 

Passengers  on  the  "  City  of  Sydney  " 66 

Public  Schools  in  Japan 114 

Plants  and  Trees  of  Ceylon 193 

Parsees  and  their  Silent  Towers 233-240 

Pyramids  of  Gizeh 272 

Palestine 281 

Philip  II 324 

Passage  from  England  to  Ireland 334 

Queen  Victoria 330 

Rio  Grande  Railroad 23 

Royal  Gorge 25 

Rockies  and  Canons 28 

Rice  and  its  Cultivation 140 

Religions  of  China 175 

Ruins  of  Old  Delhi 225 

Rajpootana  and  its  Scenery 227 

Religious  Sects  in  Bombay 241 

Red  Sea 266 

Reflections  on  the  Atlantic 341 

Sierra  Nevadas  and  Forests 4° 

San  Francisco  and  its  Growth 53 

23 


354  INDEX. 

PAGE 

Shops  and  Stores  in  Japan 86 

Scenes  at  a  Station 87 

Shintoism 93 

Sufferings  of  the  Dead  Relieved 99 

Shiba  Temple 101,  120 

Stores  in  Canton 170 

Singapore  and  Botanical  Garden 184 

Shat-el-Arab  River 246 

Suez  Canal 267 

Sea  of  Galilee 293 

Spain  and  her  History 319-327 

Torii 95 

Tokio  and  University 100,  in 

Tokians  at  Meal-time 107 

Tea-growing 141 

Temple  of  Confucius 166 

Temples  of  Benares  and  Schools 213 

Tower  of  Babel 252 

Tigris  River  and  its  History 256 

Thebes .  276 

The  Old  Home 344 

Trip  from  Bagdad  to  Mosul 256 

Utah  and  Salt  Lake  City 31 

Utsumomiya  and  Ride  to  Nikko 126 

Valley  of  Wawona 49 

Visit  to  a  Brahman  Temple 202 

Valladolid  and  Columbus 322 

Walden  Pond 3 

Wonders  of  the  Ocean 67 

Yosemite  and  its  Wonders     . 50 

Yokohama 83 


A//2 


